In the clinic, many patients always have some doubts about herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia, so here is a summary of some common questions to share with you. 1. Are the two caused by the same virus? The two are caused by the same virus – varicella-zoster virus. 2. Chickenpox does not recur, but does herpes zoster recur more often in clinical practice? Herpes zoster recurrence is rare, mostly in immunocompromised people or those who are applying immunosuppressive drugs. However, there are a few people with normal immune function who have recurrent attacks, such as diabetics, or who should be alerted to the possibility of a hidden tumor. 3. Will I not get chickenpox again if I have had shingles? It can only be said that the chance of being infected is low. There are clinical cases of chickenpox in children after contact with patients with shingles. 4. Can the conventional antiviral treatment kill the virus that is latent in the posterior root ganglion of the spinal cord or the sensory ganglion of the cranial nerve? No. Under current medical conditions, latent viruses cannot be killed. 5. What is the cause of neuralgia that occurs after herpes zoster subsides? At present, it is generally believed that the pain after herpes zoster subsides is caused by edema of the nerve, inflammation and subsequent scarring that pulls on the nerve. Therefore, the earlier the treatment, the less inflammation of the nerve and the less painful it will be. Early hormones can be used to reduce the inflammatory response.