Neuralgia Definition: Neuralgia is pain that runs along the course of a damaged nerve. The condition ranges from mild and temporary to severe and chronic.
The pain itself is sharp and extreme, lasting only a few seconds but tending to recur. There are various types of neuralgia. These include carpal tunnel syndrome , sciatica, and the three types listed below.
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Pain Definition, Causes and Treatment
Peripheral Neuropathy
In peripheral neuropathy, impairment of the peripheral nerves (those outside the brain and spinal cord) occurs as a complication of another disorder, such as diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, certain vitamin deficiencies, anemia, or a tumor, or as a result of overexposure to particular chemicals or drugs (the typical cause for farm and industrial workers).The first symptom is frequently a tingling sensation in the hands and feet, which slowly spreads up the limbs to the trunk; numbness follows in the same pattern, the skin becomes sensitive, and neuralgic pain ensues.
Numbness in the hands leads to a loss of dexterity and susceptibility to accidents. A special risk is that a numbed part of the body can sustain an injury without the patient's awareness until it becomes infected or ulcerated.
The muscles gradually atrophy (wither away), and paralysis may set in.
Shingles
Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a viral infection characterized by intense pain and skin rash along the course of a nerve. Red blisters appear in a band, usually along one side of the chest, trunk, or abdomen.
Shingles occurs almost exclusively in persons who have already had chicken pox (which is caused by the same virus) and appears during times of stress or after a subsequent exposure to the chicken pox virus. Shingles can often be diagnosed by sight.
Neuralgia Definition: Neuralgia is pain that runs along the course of a damaged nerve. The condition ranges from mild and temporary to severe and chronic.
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia, or tic douloureux, primarily affects elderly persons (most commonly, those over age 70), although it may also occur in younger persons with multiple sclerosis. The pain arises from the trigeminal nerve, which controls sensation in the face, teeth, mouth, and nasal cavity and movement of the jaw.
The pain, usually excruciating, covers one side of the face and can be set off by eating, by washing, or even by being exposed to a gust of air. With time, the stabbing pains occur more and more frequently, until they become constant.
The cause is unknown. Although the condition is not life-threatening, it can become very disabling.
Neuralgia Treatment
Treatment for the various types of neuralgia depends on the location of the damaged nerves, the severity of the pain, and the reason behind the impairment. Therapy may vary from cold or hot packs and aspirin to stronger prescription painkillers. (Neuralgia Definition)
For shingles, ointments may soothe and dry up blisters, and the antiviral drug acyclovir may shorten the course of the illness.
A physician may refer a patient with neuralgia to a neurologist (a specialist in problems of the nervous system). In rare instances, neurosurgery to sever a damaged nerve is necessary to eliminate the pain.
Neuralgia Prevention
There is virtually no way to prevent neuralgia, except to treat underlying diseases that may precipitate nerve damage and to avoid overexposure to chemicals and drugs.