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Alternative or natural remedies are not regulated and their quality is not publicly controlled. In addition, any substance that can affect the body's chemistry can, like any drug, produce side effects that may be harmful. There have been a number of reported cases of serious and even lethal side effects from herbal products. In addition, some so-called natural remedies were found to contain standard prescription medication. Most problems reported occur in herbal remedies imported from Asia. Even if studies report positive benefits, most, to date, are very small. In addition, the substances used in such studies are, in most cases, not what are being marketed to the public.
The following website is building a database of natural remedy brands that it tests and rates. Not all are yet available (www.consumerlab.com).
The Food and Drug Administration has a program called MEDWATCH for people to report adverse reactions to untested substances, such as herbal remedies and vitamins (800-332-1088).
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Procedures Used for PHN
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Intrathecal Corticosteroid Injections. Intrathecal administration is injection of medication within the dura mater (the tough membrane surrounding the spinal cord). Some studies have reported that intrathecal injections of corticosteroids may relieve persistent PHN. According to a 2000 study, they are particularly beneficial in combination with the anesthetic lidocaine. In the study, more than 90% of PHN patients reported good to excellent pain relief for up to two years. Extreme sensitivity to touch (allodynia) was reduced by more than 70%. The procedure is invasive, however, and poses a risk for serious complications. Experts recommend this only as a last option.
Techniques to Block Pain. Certain surgical techniques in the brain or spinal cord have been used to block nerve centers associated with postherpetic neuralgia. These methods carry risk for permanent damage, however, and should be used only as a last resort when all other methods have failed and the pain is intolerable.
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