Neuralgia: causes, symptoms and treatment

Neuralgia often affects the peripheral nerves, and unlike other similar diseases (for example, neuritis) does not affect the structure of the fiber itself. The disease is accompanied by pain in the affected area.

Types of neuralgia

1. The most common is a lesion of the ternary nerve, which appears due to facial injuries, toothache or malocclusion.
2. Much less common intercostal, the cause of which can serve as osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine.
3. The paddy. It manifests a sudden and sharp pain in the eyes, palate, neck and temples.
4. With occipital neuralgia, the occiput, whiskey and neck begin to ache.
5. Very rarely occurs lesion of the glossopharyngeal nerve, which is manifested by pain in the lower jaw and pharynx.

Causes

The range of factors that can lead to the disease of nerve fibers is quite wide:

• Injuries
• Toxic effects of metals, bacteria and microorganisms, as well as certain drugs
• Diseases of the nervous system
• Complications after influenza and tuberculosis
• Diseases of the spine
• Allergy
• Cardiovascular diseases, in particular hypertension and atherosclerosis. Nerves become inflamed due to a weak blood flow to the cells and tissues
• During the menopause neuralgia may appear due to changes in the spine caused by hormonal failures
• Metabolic disorders and diabetes mellitus
• Alcohol abuse

Symptoms of the disease

1. The main symptom of the disease is quite typical pain, which can occur both dramatically and gradually.
2. Painful sensations can appear due to prolonged exposure to cold or strong physical exertion. Emotional overexertion also affects the manifestation of the disease.
3. The pain is often accompanied by other disorders: redness, swelling and sensitivity disorders of the affected area. A characteristic feature of the acute course of the disease is a sharp skewed face.

How is the disease diagnosed?

Most often, patients complain of pain in one or another part of the body, but since these data are not sufficient for rapid diagnosis, neuralgia is most often detected as a result of a complete examination of the organs and systems of the body.

After giving the general blood and urine tests, as well as CT and MRI studies, doctors, most often, make such a diagnosis by exclusion.

Usually, even after diagnosing a doctor, a magnetic resonance imaging is prescribed. It allows to detect tumors and early signs of sclerosis, which could serve as the causes of neuralgia.

Rules of treatment and prevention

• Correct medicated influence on the causes and manifestations of neuralgia can be prescribed only by a doctor.
• At an early stage, physiotherapy is used, and injections with novocaine and vitamin B.
• Anticonvulsants are used to treat neuralgia of the ternary nerve.
• Surgery is much less common.
• In addition to influencing the inflamed nerve itself, a complex treatment is also prescribed, which will help to eliminate the root cause of the disease.

Prophylactic drugs

To avoid this rather unpleasant disease, the following simple recommendations should be adhered to:

• Do not be injured or overcooled
• Adhere to the right diet
• Evenly distribute physical activity

  Doctors recommend at the first sign of pain to seek help, because neuralgia, like any other disease, is much easier to treat in the early stages.