Neuralgia is pain caused by damage or irritation to a peripheral nerve ( a nerve not in the brain or spinal cord). The pain may be quite mild and or only temporary, but is more often experienced as very sharp, sometimes shooting along the nerve, and attacking repeatedly in a short space of time.
Unspecific neuralgia may be the result of damage at any point along the route of the nerve, with the pain being felt in the area the nerve serves. There are also specific types of neuralgia, including post-herpetic neuralgia, a burning pain that may occur in the site of an attack of shingles; glossopharyngeal neuralgia, when an intense pain is felt at the back of the tongue and in the throat and ear; and trigeminal neuralgia, a spasmodic pain on one side of the face, Sciatica is also a type of neuralgia.
Causes.
Causes of neuralgia include injury to or abnormality in the nerve, or perhaps an infection which causes inflammation. Other causes include:
Stress and emotional problems.
Migraine, which causes a form of neuralgia in which there are attacks of intense pain radiating around the eye.
Shingles, which may cause neuralgia for months or years after the attack of shingles is over.
In trigeminal neuralgia, the trigeminal nerve in the face becomes inflamed and is a condition more common in the elderly.
Alcohol, drugs, excess glucose in the blood, vitamin deficiencies, lead, mercury, and organo-phosphates (used in sheep dip and pesticides) can all cause damage to nerves and result in neuralgia.
The cause of glossopharyngeal neuralgia are not known but it can be brought on by eating, swallowing, or talking. It may also occur spontaneously.
At Acu-Care Naturopathics, I regularly treat neuralgia symptoms using a combination of Bowen therapy, homeopathy and acupuncture.
Regardless of your medically diagnosed condition natural medicine has something to offer either as a stand alone treatment or as complementary treatment along side orthodox treatment.
The Acu-Care Naturopathic clinic is suitably located for many of Perth’s suburbs and is particularly handy for; Belmont, south Perth, Vic park, Lathlain, Carlisle, Kewdale, Rivervale, Redcliffe, Burswood, and Cloverdale.
To find out more about acupuncture and how it can help you call 9478-1415 or better still make an appointment today.
Best of health
Paul Neilson