Neuralgia Definition
Neuralgia is an acute pathological nerve condition characterized by an intense and frequent, yet intermittent pain that radiates along the length of one or more nerves, as defined in the Oxford English Dictionary.
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Causes
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Nerve damage, nerve irritation from an infection, eyestrain, arthritis, poor nutrition and pinched nerves are some common causes of neuralgia, as stated by the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center College of Medicine.
Etymology and History
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The noun neuralgia is a modern Latin word derived from the Greek words for nerve (neuron) and pain (algos). The Oxford English Dictionary compares neuralgia to the French word "névralgie."
Neuralgia's usage dates back to 1822-34, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
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Age
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Neuralgia affects middle-age and older people, although neuralgia can affect anyone.
Area
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Neuralgia commonly affects the nerves of the face or head, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
Symptom
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A burning and sharp pain along the length of the nerve is symptomatic of neuralgia.
Types
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According to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center--College of Medicine, the types of neuralgia include postherpetic neuralgia--shingles virus causing pain in the lower trunk, glossopharyngeal neuralgia--affects the glossopharyngeal nerve near the throat, trigeminal neuralgia--talking and chewing aggravates this pain, and migraine neuralgia--pain that affects the face.
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