TYPE OF NEURALGIA

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is the result of stimuli to nerves coming off what is known as the ninth cranial nerve, which goes to the area around the tonsils, back of the tongue, the pharynx, the ear, and the eardrum. This neuralgia is like facial-nerve neuralgia, except that it affects the throat, the back of the tongue, and the ear. The pain often spreads to the back of the jaw. Patients may not actually complain of pain in the ear but during an attack will point toward the point where they are feeling the pain. The exact cause of this neuralgia is not known, but obviously is some irritant factor reaching the nerve.

Occipital neuralgia

Pain at the back of the neck, called occipital neuralgia, brings on severe tenderness, and the skin may be so sensitive to touch that it is impossible even to brush the hair. Since there are other causes of pain in this portion of the body, the doctor has to make a most careful investigation to determine that it is the involvement of two nerves coming from the spine to this area that is responsible.

Obviously, any inflammation, new growth, poisoning, or other irritant factor that can reach a nerve can cause severe pain that persists and that demands medical attention. Pain involving the shoulder and arm may occur from arthritis, from inflammation of a bursa, from a job involving constant arm use, such as telegraphy. Whenever the pain is diffuse and involves the muscles and joints it is unlikely to be neuralgia, and more likely to be some of the other conditions that have been mentioned.

Sciatic neuralgia

Sciatic neuralgia is any pain that follows the distribution of the sciatic nerve. The pain is made worse by coughing, sneezing, and straining or bending forward. The examination may be unable to reveal any specific changes in the tissues.

The doctor, however, traces the course of the nerve and the areas into which the roots of the nerve travel, and is thus able to define t painful areas as those definitely associated with the nerves. If any specific cause can be found, such as pressure on the nerve at any point or a disk that has slipped in the lower part of the spine, operative procedures w eliminate the cause and control the condition.