Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of herpes zoster, which is characterized in lancinating/burning pain in a unilateral dermatomal pattern that persists after the onset of a herpes zoster outbreak. The pain from PHN lasts long, with high severity, which brings about great distress to the daily life and mental health of patients. Therefore, the timely and effective treatment of PHN is of great significance to the improvement of patients' quality of life. This article introduces the definition, epidemiology, risk factors and pathogenesis of PHN and reviews the research progress on the prevention and treatment of PHN, in order to provide safer and more effective diagnosis and treatment approaches for clinical practice.