Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is a rare condition causing extreme pain around the mouth, throat, ear, tonsils, or tongue. It is more common in men over 40 and can be caused by a growth or an abnormally positioned artery. Diagnosis is made through medical imaging, and treatment includes pain management medications, anticonvulsants, and surgery. Prognosis is good if the cause can be identified and treated.
Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is a rare disease in which pressure on the glossopharyngeal nerve causes extreme pain around the mouth, throat, ear, tonsils, or tongue. The duration of acute pain can vary, and patients may experience recurring pain or just one pain attack, depending on the cause of the condition. There are a number of potential treatments for glossopharyngeal neuralgia that can be discussed with a neurologist.
This condition is more common in men, usually over the age of 40. It can be caused by a growth near the glossopharyngeal nerve, also known as the ninth cranial nerve, or by an abnormally positioned artery putting pressure on the nerve. This nerve, which is responsible for supplying the throat and mouth, gets confused by the pressure and sends pain signals to the brain even though nothing is actually happening. The pain can be so severe that the patient is totally incapacitated, and in some cases patients develop seizures or go into cardiac arrest.
As with other facial neuralgias, glossopharyngeal neuralgia can be diagnosed with the assistance of medical imaging studies that will visualize the area of concern, looking for abnormalities. A growth will appear on an MRI or CT scan, while vascular abnormalities can be revealed with an arteriogram. In some cases, the cause may not be immediately obvious, with nothing appearing to interfere with ninth cranial nerve function.
Patients with glossopharyngeal neuralgia are usually given pain management medications to reduce pain when their confused glossopharyngeal nerves become activated. Anticonvulsant drugs also appear to be effective in treating this condition, and using such drugs will reduce the risk of developing seizures. In severe cases, surgery may need to be performed to relieve pressure on the nerve, with the surgeon normally entering the skull behind the ear to expose the nerve and remove the source of pressure.
The prognosis for a patient diagnosed with glossopharyngeal neuralgia can be very good. If the doctor can find the cause of the neuralgia and deal with it, the patient will make a full recovery. In case the cause is more difficult to identify, medications can be used to manage the condition, keeping the patient comfortable and reducing the number and severity of pain episodes. Even if patients experience only mild pain, it is important to see a neurologist because glossopharyngeal neuralgia can be a symptom of a serious neurological problem.
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