OBJECTIVES: Herpes zoster (HZ) and post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) are painful conditions that can have a substantial negative impact on patients’ lives. UK-specific patient reported outcome (PRO) data on the debilitating impact of these conditions is limited, however. A large-scale UK cross-sectional study, therefore, has recently been conducted to address these limitations and further inform the scientific community. Findings from this study are summarised. METHODS: A combined total of 382 HZ and PHN patients over the age of 50 were recruited from 49 sites throughout the UK. Participants were required to complete validated PRO measures of pain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), including the Zoster Brief Pain Inventory (ZBPI) and the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (SF-36). RESULTS: Pain was a prominent symptom among patients, with more than 50% reporting experiencing pain in the preceding 24 hours at levels typically considered to have a significant impact on HRQoL (i.e. ZBPI worst pain > 5). This was reflected in SF-36 domain and summary scores that were significantly lower in HZ and PHN patients compared to age-matched norms (p <0.05). When compared to normative samples, clinically meaningful differences were observed among HZ and PHN samples across SF-36 domains assessing aspects of physical and mental well-being. In both groups, HRQoL was inversely associated with levels of reported pain. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that the acute presentation of HZ and the development of PHN, the most common complication of HZ and that can persist for several months, are painful experiences that can have a significant impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of HZ/PHN sufferers.