Shingles sufferers: could this pill stop your pain from becoming chronic?

This study tests whether the oral medication venlafaxine, typically used for depression, can prevent postherpetic neuralgia—a persistent nerve pain that often follows a shingles rash. Researchers will enroll 832 adults who have had a shingles rash for less than 30 days and are experiencing moderate to severe pain. The goal is to see if early treatment with venlafaxine reduces the chance of pain lasting 90 days or more.