Experts Corner

Some patients with PHN get short-term pain relief by putting ice on the painful region¹. Be careful not to keep the ice on for more than several minutes, because it can cause skin damage.

People with constant pain often find that stress reduction techniques may help, including meditation, deep breathing exercises, guided imagery and biofeedback. You can learn these stress-reducing techniques at a clinic specializing in pain management. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), a device where electrodes are placed onto the skin and slight amounts of electrical current are produced, may also give temporary relief to some PHN patients².