The Korean Journal of Pain  2011;24(1):53-56

doi:10.3344/kjp.2011.24.1.53

Relief of Postherpetic Neuralgia with Transforaminal Epidural Injection of Magnesium: A Case Report.

Ho Kyoung YU 1 ; Joon Ho LEE ; Sung Hwan CHO ; Yong Ik KIM

Affiliations

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Keywords

epidural injections; magnesium sulphate; N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor; postherpetic neuralgia

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

Although postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common chronic pain syndrome, the pathophysiology of this disorder is not well known and management is often very difficult. N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists are known to be effective in PHN, and magnesium, a physiological blocker of NMDA receptors, is widely used to treat various chronic pain disorders. Here, we present a case of the PHN refractory to conventional treatment, which was treated successfully with transforaminal epidural injection of magnesium sulphate at the affected dermatome.