Postherpetic Neuralgia

Return to work (RTW) is one of the important functional goals of PHN treatment. In patients with severe allodynia, the biggest factors hindering RTW are contact and clothing irritation. It is more realistic to set the treatment goal as "restoring the threshold to an acceptable level of contact" rather than "elimination of allodynia." Combining pregabalin, lidocaine patches, and nerve blocks can lead to a reduction in pain VAS of over 50% and functional recovery within 8 to 12 weeks. For manual labor occupations, it is also necessary to verify eligibility for industrial accident compensation from the Korea Workers' Compensation Service or special calculation exceptions under the National Health Insurance. At Dongjedang, we set return to work as a specific treatment goal. For occupations where external stimuli are unavoidable, such as delivery work, reducing abnormal pain is the top priority; therefore, we focus on raising the sensory threshold of affected nerve segments using acupuncture and pharmacopuncture. We provide guidance on protective methods to minimize compression and contact during treatment and support a phased return plan that sets the timing for resuming work in collaboration with a doctor. Often, once Qi and blood circulation is restored, skin sensory abnormalities decrease first, followed by a reduction in pain frequency.