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If you or someone you know is suffering from shingles or after-shingles pain, you
are not alone. Every year, approximately 1 million Americans will develop shingles1.
And one out of every five people who have suffered from shingles may go on to develop
postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), also known as after-shingles pain2.
AfterShingles.com is an educational resource that offers tools and information to
help educate consumers about shingles and after-shingles pain, its impact on people's
lives and steps to help manage this condition.
Through AfterShingles.com, you can also connect with a network of individuals who
have been affected by shingles and PHN. The Patchwork of Hope NetworkTM
(P.H.N.) brings together sufferers and supporters through the design of both a virtual
and physical quilt in honor of those impacted by the condition.
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Over the past year, The Patchwork of Hope Network (P.H.N.), an educational campaign
led by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and the National Pain Foundation (NPF),
has traveled to cities across the country to raise awareness of shingles and PHN.
This campaign is made possible with support from Endo Pharmaceuticals.
With stops in Miami, Dallas, San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta and New York City, the
Patchwork of Hope Network is sewing together a community of sufferers and supporters.
To kick off each event, local pain specialists from the respective cities, and NCOA
and NPF representatives each gave presentations to educate the attendees about shingles
and after-shingles pain. PHN sufferer Kathy Sebby also shared her personal struggle,
including her inability to even walk past an air conditioning duct without feeling
excruciating pain when hit by the cool air.
All of the presenters then joined the attendees to decorate squares for the P.H.N.
quilt. In each city, members of the community have joined local quilting groups
to design a quilt representing personal stories and struggles to overcome the often
debilitating pain of PHN. The quilt is a handmade memorial and testimonial to those
who suffer, and a reminder that they do not have to face the pain of PHN alone.
Click here
to learn more about the Patchwork of Hope Network and to create your own virtual
quilt square. For every virtual quilt square made, Endo Pharmaceuticals will make
a $5 donation to the Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA) to support shingles
and PHN education.
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JoAnn Jones* first noticed the pain in her upper right shoulder and back.
She initially went to her chiropractor, thinking it was related to lower back pain.
As the pain grew over the next five days, she knew it was something more serious.
When she awoke the fifth morning with a rash covering parts of her body, her doctor
immediately put her on an antiviral medication for shingles. The rash eventually
faded, but the pain did not.
"It's a devastating illness, a chronic condition that you live with 24-7, explains
Jones about her postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).
Ms. Jones is not alone in her struggle; she is one of the approximately 1 million
Americans every year who develop shingles, or herpes zoster1. Distinguishable
by a rash and blisters that most commonly occur on the torso chest and back waistline,
upper arms or side of the face3, shingles is caused by the same virus
- the varicella-zoster virus - that causes chicken pox3.
One in five people diagnosed with shingles may suffer nerve damage caused by the
virus4. This after-shingles pain, which may last for months or sometimes
even years1, can be devastating to those it affects.
"PHN pain can erode a person's quality of life, especially for elderly patients,
says Dr. Christopher Gharibo, director of Pain Medicine and assistant professor
of Anesthesiology at NYU School of Medicine. PHN pain can lead to serious depression
and is one of the most common causes of pain-related suicide in the elderly5.
If you think you or someone you know might be suffering from shingles or PHN, talk
to your doctor immediately. You can learn more about shingles and PHN by
clicking here.
*Names have been changed to protect the patient's privacy.
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Can shingles occur without a rash?
Yes, but this is very rare. When shingles occurs without a rash it is called zoster
sine herpete. Shingles typically begins with a rash, but, in some individuals, the
shingles rash may go unnoticed at first. Patients may experience burning or shooting
pain, numbness, tingling, itching, headache, fever, chills or nausea. While the
rash almost always follows these symptoms, it may be disregarded or mistaken for
something else4. Please visit your healthcare professional immediately
if you think you may be experiencing shingles symptoms.
Can I get shingles more than once?
Yes, a person can get shingles more than once. It reoccurs in an estimated one to
five percent of patients and it can reappear many years after the first shingles
episode. If shingles strikes a second time, it will usually not appear in the same
location. Most people who seem to experience multiple episodes of shingles are probably
having a recurring infection with a related herpes simplex virus, such as cold sores,
and not true shingles4.
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Did you know that approximately 20 percent of the 1 million people that are diagnosed
with shingles each year suffer from postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)1,2.
Do you have the facts to identify if you or your loved one is suffering from this
painful condition?
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