A Case of Intractable Postherpetic Itch / 대한피부과학회지

Herpes zoster is an infective skin disease that is encountered commonly in dermatologic field. The best known complication of herpes zoster is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Also, many patients with herpes zoster experience neuropathic itch with or without pain. Those postherpetic itches (PHI) are rare, but some patients injure themselves by scratching skin with severe itching sensation, and with the loss of the protective sensation. So, PHI should be considered when evaluating a patient after an occurance of herpes zoster. Gabapentin has been successfully used to treat PHI in some cases. We report a case of postherpetic itch that has been successfully treated with gabapentin, as an unusual clinical presentation.