Abstract: Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in frequencies of 5 Hz and 10 Hz for post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN).Methods From March, 2017 to March, 2018, 60 PHN patients were randomly divided into groups A (n = 20), B (n = 20) and C (n = 20), who accepted sham rTMS, 5 Hz rTMS and 10 Hz rTMS, respectively, ten times for two weeks. They were assessed with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of pain, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Patients' Global Impression of Change Scale (PGIC), medication regulation (MR) and incidence of adverse events, before treatment (T0), immediately after stimulation (T1-T10), one month after treatment (T11) and three months after treatment (T12). Results Compared with group A, VAS scores reduced in groups B and C at T3-T12 (P < 0.05), and reduced more in group C than in group B at T7-T12 (P < 0.05). The average VAS reduction was less in group B than in group C (χ² = 5.347, P < 0.05). The PSQI and PGIS scores were less in groups B and C than in group A at T12 (P < 0.05), while it was less in group C than in group B (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference among three groups in MR and the incidence of adverse events. Conclusions rTMS in either frequencies of 5 Hz or 10 Hz may relieve pain, and improve sleep for PHN patients, while 10 Hz rTMS seems more effective in terms of pain and sleep.

Key words: post-herpetic neuralgia, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, pain, sleep