Does Epidural injections prevent postherpetic neuralgia
They might. Multiple randomized-controlled trials have shown at least some modest reduction in pain and allodynia, with a single epidural injection of local anesthetic and steroid soon after onset of HZ, but prevalence of chronic pain 6 months later was not significantly reduced. However, results of another randomized controlled study suggest that repetitive epidural injections of local anesthetic and steroid may prevent PHN, similar to previous observational or cohort studies. It is also possible that repetitive paravertebral blocks with local anesthetic and steroids may have a role, as one study revealed significantly reduced pain with acute injection, as well as reduced incidence of postherpetic neuralgia 3, 6, and 12 months posttherapy
