Welcome to the Shingles Support Society

The Shingles Support Society supplies information on shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN for short): what they are and how to treat them.

(These pages were reviewed on 24 November 2014.)

See news page for details of the new vaccine to prevent shingles: currently for people who are 70, 78 or 79 years old on 1st September 2014, through their NHS GP, pharmacist or private healthcare provider. 

For people who have been affected by shingles pain, you can download the 'Guidelines for GPs' or to get a paper copy send a donation (at least £2.50 please) for the full 19 page information pack. This pack includes:

For the patient:
- two page introduction to shingles and PHN treatments,
- two pages of self-help advice from other sufferers,
- a two-page contact list of names/addresses of other people who'd like to share experiences of shingles,
- information on TENS with the details of manufacturers who'll refund your money if the TENS doesn't help you,
- and more...

For the GP (patients can take it to the surgery to show their doctors):
- five pages with details of amitriptyline, gabapentin, lidocaine plasters and capsaicin cream: the dosages, references and a treatment algorithm - provided by a pain consultant

You can also buy this information pack at our on-line shop.

People who are blind or partially sighted can receive these leaflets dictated onto a standard cassette: send a donation (at least £2.50 please) or phone 020 7607 9661 to order this with a credit or debit card.

Watch the NHS Choices video about shingles.

You can listen to our director Marian Nicholson explaining shingles and the pain on Pain Concern's website:  scroll down to 'Airing Pain podcast', number 46 and click on it to hear it.

Watch a video showing the experiences of people with neuropathic pain to help you understand PHN (with thanks to Understanding Neuropathic Pain by Jose Closs from the University of Leeds). 

 The Shingles Support Society website has been designed with an unrestricted educational grant from SanofiPasteur MSD.

This page was revised 19/12/14 and will be reviewed no later than 19/12/2017.