neuralgia

Sharp nerve pain

Neuralgia is sharp, often severe pain along the path of a nerve.

The pain typically comes in sudden bursts rather than constant aching: trigeminal neuralgia, postherpetic neuralgia.

The term is medical but appears in general contexts describing intense, shooting nerve pain: The neuralgia in her jaw made eating unbearable.

painquality

shooting

Discharging a weapon

stabbingWounding with a blade
burningCombustion in progress
throbbingRhythmic painful pulsing

piercing · lancinating · sharp · electric · searing · jolting · paroxysmal · spasmodic · gnawing · radiating

anatomy

trigeminal

Three-branched facial nerve

occipitalOf the skull's rear
sciaticOf the hip
intercostalBetween the ribs

peripheral · ganglion · branch · root · pathway · fiber · sensory · cervical · thoracic · lumbar

causes

shingles

Overlapping roof cladding

herpesChronic blister-causing virus
compressionForcing into smaller space
inflammationProtective tissue response

injury · diabetes · infection · trauma · surgery · tumor · demyelination · entrapment · degeneration · viral

chronic

persistent

Continuing despite difficulty

recurringHappening repeatedly over time
relentlessContinuing without pause
long-lastingPersisting over extended time

ongoing · intractable · refractory · debilitating · disabling · exhausting · unrelenting · constant · protracted · remission

symptoms

tingling

Slight stinging sensation

numbnessLoss of sensation
sensitivityResponsiveness to stimuli
tendernessGentle, caring quality

soreness · hypersensitivity · paresthesia · weakness · spasm · twitching · flushing · trigger · referred · facial

treatment

amitriptyline

Tricyclic mood disorder medication

anticonvulsantDrug preventing seizures
ablationRemoval by cutting, melting
decompressionReduction of pressure

injection · lidocaine · capsaicin · TENS · acupuncture · medication · therapy · management · relief

Categories

Neurological Disordersepilepsy, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, dementia
neurological symptomsnumbness, tremor, paralysis, aphasia, ataxia
pain conditionschronic pain, myalgia, fibromyalgia, arthritis, sciatica
facial painfacial pain, jaw pain, toothache, dental pain, jaw ache
nerve disordersradiculopathy, polyneuropathy, demyelination, sciatica, carpal tunnel
Neuropathypolyneuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, demyelination, radiculopathy

Opposites

pain presence

neuralgiacomfort

Ease or soothing relief

painlessness · analgesia · relief · numbness · ease

pain type/tissue origin

neuralgiamyalgia

Clinical term for soreness

muscle pain · joint pain · bone pain · visceral pain · referred pain

sensation quality

neuralgiaeuphoria

Intense emotional high

pleasure · paresthesia · tingling · warmth

Family

nerve, nostalgia, neural, neuron, analgesic, neurology, neurological, neuroscience, neurons

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