submit urlsubmit rss feedadd directoryphysician directoryDirectory of Mobile Health Sites

article

Neuralgia is a painful disorder of the cranial nerves. Under the general heading of neuralgia are trigeminal neuralgia, atypical facial pain, and postherpetic neuralgia (caused by shingles or herpes). The affected nerves are responsible for sensing touch, temperature and pressure in the facial area from the jaw to the forehead. The disorder generally causes short episodes of excruciating pain, usually for less than two minutes and on only one side of the face. The pain can be described in a variety of ways such as "stabbing," "sharp," "like lightning," "burning," and even "itchy". In the atypical form of TN, the pain can also present as severe or merely aching and last for extended periods. The pain associated with TN is recognized as one of the most excruciating pains that can be experienced.

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

Neuralgia is a form of chronic pain and can be extremely difficult to diagnose. Patients usually show no physical abnormalities, and with the attacks generally lasting a very short time, it can be difficult to reach a doctor before the attack is over. Postherpetic neuralgia is the easiest to diagnose because it follows an obvious cause (shingles).

More on [ Neuralgia ]


directory of related categories

 

 
 
directory of related topics

Herpes Zoster
Pain Management
Chronic Pain :: Conditions and Diseases

 
Neuralgias RSS feed
National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases

Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Share Genetic Roots
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:45:00 -0400
A trio of genome-wide studies -- collectively the largest to date -- have pinpointed a vast array of genetic variation that cumulatively may account for at least one third of the genetic risk for schizophrenia. One of the studies traced schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, in part, to the same chromosomal neighborhoods.
Imaging Technique Allows Researchers to Monitor Protein Changes in Mouse Tumors
Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:05:00 -0400
A new imaging technique can monitor, in living mice, the HER2 protein found in above-normal amounts in many cases of breast cancer as well as some ovarian, prostate and lung cancers. This new approach, once validated in mice and pending further experiments, could provide a real-time noninvasive method for identifying tumors in humans who express HER2 and who would be candidates for targeted therapy directed against this protein. It may also provide real-time information that will help clinicians optimize treatment for individual patients. The study, published in the July 2009 issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, was conducted by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, both parts of the National Institutes of Health.
Dynasty: Influenza Virus in 1918 and Today
Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:10:00 -0400
The influenza virus that wreaked worldwide havoc in 1918-1919 founded a viral dynasty that persists to this day, according to scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. In an article published online on June 29 by the New England Journal of Medicine, authors Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Jeffery K. Taubenberger, M.D., Ph.D., and David M. Morens, M.D., argue that we have lived in an influenza pandemic era since 1918, and they describe how the novel 2009 H1N1 virus now circling the globe is yet another manifestation of this enduring viral family.

CNN.com - Health

Police: Hospital worker swiped shots, spread hep C
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:18:42 -0400
A former hospital employee may have exposed hundreds or thousands of surgical patients to hepatitis C when she replaced clean needles filled with the powerful painkiller fentanyl with her own dirty needles filled with saline solution.
Health.com picks top beach, lake getaways
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:47:40 -0400
We know your summer vacation time is precious: You want to land where you can truly relax, breathe fresh air, get in some exercise and eat well -- without breaking the bank. That's why we teamed up with a panel of travel and health experts to help us find the healthiest of the nation's most popular beach and lake towns.

 
Subscribe to Conditions_and_Diseases RSS feed

directory of related sites

404 C-2 Microdecompression - Dr Jho's novel microneurosurgical treatment for occipital neuralgia or severe headache, at the University of Pittsburgh.

eMedicine Health - Trigeminal Neuralgia (Facial Nerve Pain) - Consumer health resource center providing information on the causes, symptoms, and treatment of this disorder.
Meta Description: [ Trigeminal neuralgia causes facial pain. Trigeminal neuralgia develops in mid to late life. The condition is the most frequently occurring of all the nerve pain disorders. The pain, which comes ... ]

Hemifacial Spasm Association - Support and information source for sufferers of HFS. Free membership provides group email, bulletin board and chat room.
Meta Description: [ Online Resources & Support for sufferers of Hemifacial Spasm (HFS) ]

NHS Direct Online Health Encyclopaedia - Encyclopedia article on neuralgia. Includes the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and the causes.

Occipital Neuralgia Mini Information Sheet - From National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Meta Description: [ Occipital neuralgia information sheet compiled by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). ]

Neuralgias related videos
Moi Today
Next Video
Neuralgias related videos

 

HOMEADVERTISINGABOUT US

articlesartsbusinesscomputersgameshealthhospitalshomekids & teensnewsmobilephysiciansrecreationreferenceregionalscienceshoppingsocietysportsworld


Submit a Site About Become an Editor