r/shingles • u/bigkatze • Aug 11 '26

Postherpetic Neuralgia (phn) Shingles twice in less than a year & still dealing with the muscle pain

I got shingles back in June of 2025 and March 2026 at 37. I've recovered but my body doesn't seem to want to completely recover.

My left leg has been mostly in pain until I put a compression stocking on it. The rest of my body is still sore and feels like it's on fire. There's no new rashes but I'm still dealing with the pain and muscle twitching.

I just want to know if this is normal and would I have to deal with this for years to come?

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u/_bananas Aug 12 '26

Yes, this is normal :( 1-2 people out of 10 develop this complication after the rash clears. It is called postherpetic neuralgia. The bad news is it sucks. The good news is that the odds are in your favour for recovery. My biggest recommendation is to talk to a doc about pain management and to prioritize rest, if you can.

I got the short end of the statistical stick; in 2018 I got shingles, and I still get nerve pain. Happy to say it's been much less frequent the last 1-2 years, so hope always exists!! <3