researchers are not just looking at biological and neurological risk factors for this nerve pain after shingles. robert h. dworkin phd a professor in the department of anesthesiology at the university of rochester medical center in rochester n. y. was recently a co-author of a study looking at psychological risk factors too. the results were published in the journal of pain in 2005. "it certainly looks like psychological stress can be a potent risk factor for phn " dworkin tells webmd. the study showed that people with shingles who went on to develop phn were more likely to have had symptoms of personality disorders hypochondria intense worry about their disease and other bodily complaints. dworkin says previous studies have already shown a connection between stress and shingles development. "one study even found that the risk of developing phn was higher in people who were living alone when they developed shingles than people living with others " dworkin says perhaps indicating that social isolation increases the risks of phn.
what is the emotional toll of nerve pain after shingles?