HALLUCINATORY NEURALGIA Meaning and
Definition
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Hallucinatory neuralgia is a medical condition characterized by recurring episodes of intense, shooting or stabbing pain in specific areas of the head or face. It is also commonly referred to as trigeminal neuralgia or tic douloureux. The term "hallucinatory" in this context refers to the excruciating pain that appears as if it is coming from external stimuli, even though no actual physical cause is present.
The condition primarily affects the trigeminal nerve - the largest cranial nerve responsible for transmitting sensory information from the face to the brain. It is characterized by sudden and severe facial pain, often triggered by innocuous activities such as eating, speaking, or even slight facial movements. The pain is usually brief, but can occur in frequent, incapacitating attacks that may last for weeks or months, followed by varying periods of relief.
The exact cause of hallucinatory neuralgia is unknown, although it is believed to be related to compression or irritation of the trigeminal nerve by a blood vessel or a structural anomaly. It more commonly affects older individuals, especially women, and may be associated with certain conditions like multiple sclerosis or other cranial nerve disorders.
Treatment options for hallucinatory neuralgia include medications to manage the pain, such as anticonvulsants or muscle relaxants, as well as nerve blocks or surgical procedures to reduce the pressure on the trigeminal nerve. However, since the condition is chronic and may vary in intensity, finding an effective and sustainable treatment can often be challenging.
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A cerebral impression of local pain occurring without any actual peripheral nerve pain, or persisting after an attack of neuralgia has ceased (reminiscent n.).
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for HALLUCINATORY NEURALGIA
- hal lucinatory neuralgia
- hall ucinatory neuralgia
- hallu cinatory neuralgia
- halluc inatory neuralgia
- halluci natory neuralgia
- hallucin atory neuralgia
- hallucina tory neuralgia
- hallucinat ory neuralgia
- hallucinato ry neuralgia
- hallucinator y neuralgia
- hallucinatory n euralgia
- hallucinatory ne uralgia
- hallucinatory neu ralgia
- hallucinatory neur algia
- hallucinatory neura lgia
- hallucinatory neural gia
- hallucinatory neuralg ia
- hallucinatory neuralgi a
Etymology of HALLUCINATORY NEURALGIA
The term "hallucinatory neuralgia" seems to be a combination of two distinct terms: "hallucinatory" and "neuralgia".
1. Hallucinatory: The word "hallucinatory" is derived from the noun "hallucination", which means a perception or experience of something that is not actually present or real. The term "hallucination" originated from the Latin verb "hallucinari", meaning "to wander mentally" or "to talk incoherently". It was later adopted into English in the 17th century.
2. Neuralgia: The word "neuralgia" comes from the Greek words "neuron" meaning "nerve" and "algos" meaning "pain". Therefore, neuralgia refers to a condition characterized by severe, recurring pain along the course of a nerve or nerves.
