My husband had it after shingles, his was on his shoulder. He took codeine tablets and Paracetamol, for pain, and he was also prescribed Gabapentin and lidocaine patches. These were the only thing that worked. He weaned himself off the Gabapentin after about 4 months. You need this particular type of medication to work on nerve pain. He couldn't cope on Amitryptiline , all it did was make him excessively sleepy but the Gabapentin was brilliant .