Anticonvulsants and antidepressants are widely recognized and supported by clinical guidelines and systematic reviews as effective first- or second-line treatments for managing postherpetic neuralgia pain.
The retrieved literature consistently supports the use of anticonvulsants (such as gabapentin and pregabalin) and antidepressants (such as tricyclic antidepressants) as standard and effective pharmacological treatments for postherpetic neuralgia. Multiple systematic reviews, clinical guidelines, and case series indicate that these medications provide meaningful pain relief in this patient population, and no papers refute their efficacy.