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The causes of chronic itching are not clearly understood. What your mother likely has is post herpetic neuralgia, which seems to happen in about 40 percent of people who have shingles. The nerve endings where the shingles rash was continue to cause itching and pain long after the shingles lesions have gone.
While it isn't possible to guess what your mother's doctor was considering, it isn't unusual for a patient with a severe chronic itch to be given an antidepressant to try to relieve the itch. Studies have shown that some medications that are meant for other problems, such as antidepressants and anti-seizure medications, sometimes work well for itching and pain.
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