GENICULATE NEURALGIA Meaning and
Definition
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Geniculate neuralgia is a medical condition characterized by episodes of severe facial pain along the distribution of the geniculate ganglion, which is responsible for transmitting sensory information from the ear to the brain. This condition is also known as nervus intermedius neuralgia or Ramsay Hunt syndrome type II.
The geniculate ganglion is located within the facial canal and is involved in the transmission of pain, temperature, and taste sensation from the ear, as well as controlling the production of tears and saliva. When this ganglion becomes inflamed or damaged, it can lead to geniculate neuralgia.
Symptoms of geniculate neuralgia typically include sudden, intense, and recurrent jabbing or shooting pain in the ear, the back of the throat, the tongue, the hard palate, and sometimes even the region around the eye. In some cases, there may also be associated symptoms such as hearing loss, earache, vertigo, or facial weakness. These symptoms can significantly impact a person's quality of life and daily functioning.
The exact cause of geniculate neuralgia is often unknown, but it can be triggered by various factors, including viral infections, such as herpes zoster (shingles) or herpes simplex, trauma to the ear or head, and structural abnormalities in the geniculate ganglion area.
Treatment options for geniculate neuralgia may include medical management with medications like anticonvulsants or tricyclic antidepressants to help control the pain, local anesthetic injections, nerve blocks, or in severe cases, surgical intervention. A thorough evaluation by a medical professional is essential to determine the appropriate treatment approach based on the individual's specific case.
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A severe paroxysmal lancinating pain deep in the ear, on the anterior wall of the external meatus, and on a small area just in front of the pinna, caused by a lesion of the geniculate ganglion.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for GENICULATE NEURALGIA
- feniculate neuralgia
- veniculate neuralgia
- beniculate neuralgia
- heniculate neuralgia
- yeniculate neuralgia
- teniculate neuralgia
- gwniculate neuralgia
- gsniculate neuralgia
- gdniculate neuralgia
- grniculate neuralgia
- g4niculate neuralgia
- g3niculate neuralgia
- gebiculate neuralgia
- gemiculate neuralgia
- gejiculate neuralgia
- gehiculate neuralgia
- genuculate neuralgia
- genjculate neuralgia
- genkculate neuralgia
- genoculate neuralgia
Etymology of GENICULATE NEURALGIA
The word "geniculate" in "geniculate neuralgia" comes from the Latin word "geniculatus", which means "bent like a knee" or "bending". It is derived from the Latin word "genu", which means "knee". This term is used in medicine to describe a condition affecting the nerves that bend or loop like a knee.
The word "neuralgia" is also derived from Greek and Latin roots. It combines the Greek word "neuron", meaning "nerve", with the Greek word "algos", meaning "pain". In Latin, "algia" means "pain". Therefore, "neuralgia" refers to pain along the course of a nerve or nerves.
Therefore, "geniculate neuralgia" is a medical term that describes pain along the course of the geniculate nerves, which are nerves that bend or loop like a knee.
