Varicella-zoster virus infection and nummular headache: a possible association with epicranial neuralgia.

A nummular headache (NH) is a type of primary headache that results from cranial neuralgia without a known cause. We herein report the case of a woman who suffered two episodes of focal headache in the left parietal area with identical characteristics that were compatible with NH. During the recovery phase of the second NH episode, the pain resurged with shingles coinciding with the painful area. The patient's NH subsided in parallel with resolution of the shingles. These findings support a diagnosis of peripheral neuralgia with NH. Latent virus infections, such as Varicella-zoster virus, that frequently cause distal nerve damage in patients with zoster sine herpete may be associated with epicranial neuralgia and NH.