Neuralgia

Neuralgia is painful disorder of the cranial nerves. Under the general heading of Neuralgia are Trigeminal Neuralgia, Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia, Atypical facial pain, and Post herpetic Neuralgia (from Shingles). Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) has also been referred to as tic douloureux. The affected nerves are responsible for sensing touch, temperature and pressure in the facial area from the jaw to the forehead.

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The disorder generally causes short episodes of excruciating pain of a short duration, usually less than two minutes and on only one side of the face. There can be a variety of ways that the pain is described such as "stabbing," "sharp," "like lightning," "burning," and even "itchy". In Atypical Neuralgia, the pain can also present as severe or merely aching and last for extended periods. The pain of Neuralgia is recognized as one the most excruciating forms of known pain.

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Simple stimuli such as eating, talking, washing the face, or any light touch or sensation can trigger the pain. In some cases, the sensation of a gentle breeze can be enough to trigger an attack. The attacks can occur in clusters or as an isolated attack. Some patients will have a muscle spasm which led to the original term "tic douloureux" with tic meaning spasm and douloureux meaning painful in French.

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Neuralgia is considered a form of chronic pain and the duration can be unpredictable. Since there is no clear consensus on the cause, and it may begin at any age, it can be extremely difficult to diagnose. Patients usually show no physical abnormalities, and with the attacks generally lasting a very short time, it is nearly impossible to reach a doctor before the attack is over. Post herpetic Neuralgia is the easiest to diagnose because it follows an obvious cause (Shingles).

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Neuralgia is rare and even more unusual in those under 30. Women are more likely to be affected than men and those over 50 are at the greatest risk of this rare disorder. In some cases, Multiple Sclerosis is related to nerve damage, causing the pain, so doctors will likely ask about family history to help diagnose. Nothing unusual can be seen in brain scans, so diagnosis is usually based on the description of the symptoms.

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Medication for seizures has shown promise in managing Neuralgia, and some people have found relief with surgery, though not always permanent relief. There is no known way to prevent Neuralgia.

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Cranial nerves: Cranial nerves are nerves which emerge from the brainstem instead of the spinal cord. Cranial nerves I and II are named as such, but are technically not nerves, as they are continuations of the central nervous system....

Shingles: REDIRECT Herpes zoster...

Jaw: :For other uses of the word jaws, see jaws (disambiguation)....