Neuralgia Health Dictionary

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Neuralgia: From 6 Different Sources

Pain caused by irritation of, or damage to, a nerve. The pain usually occurs in brief bouts and may be severe.Some types of neuralgia are features of a specific disorder. Migraine sufferers commonly experience a form of neuralgia consisting of attacks of intense, radiating pain around the eye. Postherpetic neuralgia is a burning pain that may recur at the site of an attack of herpes zoster (shingles) for months or even years after the illness.

Other types of neuralgia result from disturbance of a particular nerve. In glossopharyngeal neuralgia, intense pain is felt at the back of the tongue and in the throat and ear, all of which are areas supplied by the glossopharyngeal nerve. The cause of the pain is generally unknown. The same is true of trigeminal neuralgia, a severe paroxysm of pain affecting one side of the face supplied by the trigeminal nerve.

Neuralgia is sometimes relieved by analgesic drugs (painkillers) such as paracetamol. Glossopharyngeal, trigeminal, and postherpetic neuralgia may respond to treatment with carbamazepine or other anticonvulsant drugs, or to tricyclic antidepressant drugs.

Health Source: BMA Medical Dictionary
Author: The British Medical Association
Pain, sometimes severe, that manifests along the length of a nerve and arises within the nerve itself, not in the tissue from which the sensation seems to arise.
Health Source: Herbal Medical
Author: Health Dictionary
Pain which is the result of damage to or irritation of a NERVE. The pain tends to be intermittent, occurring in short bursts. It may be very severe and be located along an identi?able nerve. A particular disorder may give rise to neuralgia, MIGRAINE being an example, and HERPES ZOSTER (shingles) another. Neuralgia may also be caused by disturbance to a particular nerve – for instance, trigeminal neuralgia which affects the sensory nerve supplying most of the face.

Treatment Any obvious underlying cause should be dealt with. Neuralgia may be symptomatically relieved with ANALGESICS. Severe pain may be helped by the analgesic carbamazepine or by destroying (freezing, local alcohol injection or surgery) the affected nerve.

Health Source: Medical Dictionary
Author: Health Dictionary
A painful affection of the nerves due to functional disturbances or neuritis
Health Source: Medicinal Plants Glossary
Author: Health Dictionary
n. a severe burning or stabbing pain often following the course of a nerve. Postherpetic neuralgia is an intense debilitating pain felt at the site of a previous attack of shingles. In trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloureux) there are brief paroxysms of searing pain felt in the distribution of one or more branches of the *trigeminal nerve in the face. Trigeminal neuralgia is managed principally by prescription of *carbamazepine. Migrainous neuralgia is characterized by severe unilateral pain around one eye (see cluster headache).
Health Source: Oxford | Concise Colour Medical Dictionary
Author: Jonathan Law, Elizabeth Martin

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Facial neuralgia or tic doulourex. This is pain of the gasserian ganglion or one or more branches of the trigeminal nerves. It is felt as pain along the side or top of the head, the scalp and around the eyes...a “skin headache”...and sometimes accompanied by facial muscle cramps. It is usually initiated by trigger points, with blood sugar irregularities and substance sensitivities often lowering their threshold of irritation.... trigeminal neuralgia

Neuralgia, Facial

 Trigeminal Neuralgia. Severe lancing pain along one or more branches of the fifth cranial nerve.

Causes include: dental problems, ill-fitting dentures, laughing, yawning, bad teeth.

Symptoms: nervous exhaustion, contracted pupils, flushed face.

Alternatives. Black Cohosh, Cactus, Celery seed, Bogbean, Chamomile, Lady’s Slipper, Ginseng, Hops, Jamaica Dogwood, White Willow, Wild Lettuce, Skullcap, St John’s Wort, Valerian.

Tea. Combine equal parts: Chamomile, Hops, Skullcap. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-10 minutes. 1 cup freely.

Decoction. Combine: Rosemary 2; Ladyslipper 1; Jamaica Dogwood 1.1 heaped teaspoon to each cup water gently simmered 20 minutes. Half-1 cup every 2-3 hours.

Tablets. Passion flower. Ginseng. St John’s Wort, White Willow.

Formula. Equal parts: Jamaica Dogwood, Wild Lettuce, Valerian. Dose: Liquid extracts: 1 teaspoon. Tinctures: 2 teaspoons. Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). Thrice daily.

Cayenne pepper (Capsicum). Frequently successful.

Practitioner. Tincture Gelsemium BPC (1973). Dose: 0.3ml (5 drops).

Topical. Poultice: Chamomile, Hops, Linseed or Bran. Acute cases (cold), chronic cases (hot). Grated or bruised Horseradish root. Evening Primrose oil. Hot cider vinegar. Tincture Arnica or Hypericum. Aromatherapy. 2 drops each: Juniper, Lavender, Chamomile to 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Light massage. Diet, and supplements. Same as for general neuralgia. Australian researchers found that hot curries and spices actually trigger the trigeminal nerve causing a burning sensation. ... neuralgia, facial

Neuralgia, General

 Pain along a nerve, i.e. pain in the shoulders from pressure on a spinal nerve serving the neck.

Alternatives. Black Cohosh, Cactus, Chamomile, Lady’s Slipper, Ginseng, Hops, Jamaica Dogwood, White Willow, Wild Lettuce, Valerian.

Chamomile tea (mild analgesic).

Tablets/capsules. Any of the above.

Formula. Ginseng 4; Black Cohosh 2; Skullcap 2; Mistletoe 1; Motherwort 1. Dose: Liquid Extracts: 1 teaspoon. Tinctures: 2 teaspoons. Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon). Thrice daily. Children: see: DOSAGE. Cayenne pepper (Capsicum) sometimes successful.

Topical. Poultice: Chamomile, Hops, Linseed or Bran. Acute cases (cold), chronic cases (hot). Grated or bruised Horseradish root. Evening Primrose oil. Hot Cider vinegar, Tincture Arnica or Hypericum. Aromatherapy. 2 drops each: Juniper, Lavender, Chamomile to 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Light massage. Diet. High protein. Calcium-rich foods.

Supplements. Vitamin B-complex, B6, B12, Niacin, Magnesium, Dolomite, Zinc.

See: FACIAL and INTERCOSTAL NEURALGIA; DYSMENORRHOEA (neuralgia of the womb). ANTISPASMODICS. ... neuralgia, general

Neuralgia, Intercostal

 Pain along a sensory nerve serving the chest, without loss of sensation and power of movement. Differs from neuritis in which nerves are inflamed.

Causes: all kinds of infective diseases. Rheumatism, bad teeth, bony spinal lesions, gall stone, liver disorder, thickening of pleura, fractured ribs, shingles – see: SHINGLES. In simple cases a cup of Chamomile tea may suffice. Persistent cases require one of the following alternatives.

Alternatives. Decoction. Combine equal parts: Black Cohosh, Jamaica Dogwood (or White Willow), Pleurisy root. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup water gently simmered 20 minutes. Half-1 cup thrice daily. Formula. Cramp bark 2; Black Cohosh 1; Valerian 1. Pinch of Cayenne or few drops Tincture Capsicum. Dose: Liquid Extracts: 1 teaspoon. Tinctures: 2 teaspoons. Powders: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one- third teaspoon). Thrice daily.

Neuralgia associated with bronchi and lung: Formula: Cramp bark 2; Pleurisy root 2; Liquorice half. Dose: as above.

Practitioner. Tincture Gelsemium BPC (1973). 0.3ml (5 drops) in water as necessary.

Dr Finlay Ellingwood. Tincture Pleurisy root (Asclepias). 20 drops, every 2 hours.

Topical. Poultice: Chamomile, Hops, Linseed or Bran. Acute cases (cold), chronic cases (hot). Grated or bruised Horseradish root. Evening Primrose oil. Hot Cider vinegar. Tincture Arnica or Hypericum. Aromatherapy. 2 drops each: Juniper, Lavender, Chamomile, to 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Massage. Diet, vitamins, minerals. Same as for general neuralgia. Cold water packs. ... neuralgia, intercostal

Postherpetic Neuralgia

Burning pain caused by nerve irritation that occurs at the site of a previous attack of herpes zoster (shingles).

See neuralgia.... postherpetic neuralgia


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