Neuralgia does not hear the ear, what to do. Facial pain - cranial neuralgia and vegetalgia

Ear pain can be sharp, dull, or cause a burning sensation in the ear that comes and goes or remains constant. Pain can occur in one ear or in both ears at once.

When should you see a doctor?

Call your doctor if:

you have a high temperature (38 C or higher);
you have other symptoms such as dizziness, severe headache, or swelling around the ear;
Severe ear pain does not go away within 24-48 hours;

Common Causes of Ear Pain

Infections in the ear canal (outer side of the eardrum);
A scratch or other physical damage to the inside of the ear caused by a cotton swab, ear swab, or similar personal care product;
Foreign objects getting stuck inside the ear;
a throat infection such as tonsillitis or sore throat that may affect the ear;
A buildup of fluid deep in the ear (behind the eardrum). It mainly occurs in children

Due to inflammation in the ear

Perhaps it's otitis media. An ENT doctor can tell you which part of the ear (outer, middle, inner) the inflammation began in.

What will confirm the guess? The diagnosis of otitis media will be confirmed by the following characteristic sign: if you press hard on the tragus - the protrusion in the auricle in front of the opening of the external auditory canal - you will feel pain. It is also possible to have an increase in temperature, noise and “shooting” in the ears, and in advanced cases, purulent discharge from the ear.
Ear inflammation in adults is characterized by mild pain of a pulling or stabbing nature in the depths (“it stings and goes away”), as well as a sensation of stuffiness. The ear feels as if it is filled with water. The pain intensifies when chewing and talking. Since the anterior wall of the external auditory canal delimits the joint of the lower jaw from the external ear, when an inflammatory process occurs in it, chewing movements cause severe pain. And this, in turn, leads to eating disorders.

What to do? If the pain is nagging, not throbbing, if there is no fever or purulent discharge from the ear (in these cases you should immediately run to the doctor), you can heal yourself. To do this, twice a day (in the morning and at night) make a dry warming compress (heat a bag of salt with an iron and lie on it with the sore ear) or place a cotton ball moistened with boric alcohol, camphor alcohol or an alcoholic tincture of calendula and eucalyptus in your ear. In addition, keep your sore ear warm at all times: any hypothermia is a step back for recovery. For minor inflammation, these measures are usually sufficient. But if after a few days you do not feel relief, consult an ENT doctor.

Garlic oil will help relieve ear pain.
You need to mix equal volumes of crushed garlic and vegetable oil, leave the mixture in a tightly sealed container in sunlight or in a warm place for 10 days, shaking occasionally.
Then strain, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil or glycerin and instill the prepared mixture into the sore ear.
Warm the mixture slightly before use.

What not to do? Do not prescribe antibiotics yourself. If pus is leaking from your ear, if you feel a throbbing pain in your head, do not warm your sore ear under any circumstances!

Prevention. Most often, otitis media is a complication after ARVI, influenza, sore throat, or prolonged rhinitis. Therefore, it is important to catch any cold, not to mention infections such as the flu, and cure it completely.

Due to caries in the tooth

“Ear” pain can be caused by caries of the outer teeth in an advanced stage (i.e., inflammation of the nerve or tissues located near the tooth).

What will confirm the guess? In favor of the dental origin of pain in the “ear”, the pain is pulsating and intensifies when pressing on the sore tooth and when eating cold and hot food. The pain can radiate to the head, ear, temple, neck. Moreover, at night the pain is usually stronger than during the day.

What to do? It is very rare to completely recover from tooth pain on your own. Therefore, consult a dentist as soon as possible, who will accurately identify the cause of the pain and begin treatment. Before visiting a doctor, you can alleviate the condition by taking a painkiller tablet (for example, nimesulide, ibuprofen, analgin). Rinsing with soda helps to calm the pain for a short time: take 1 tsp per glass of warm boiled water. soda and a couple of drops of iodine. If you are a fan of natural treatment methods, use your “grandmother’s” recipe - apply chopped onion or garlic to the sore tooth. Cover the top of the mixture with cotton wool. Onions and garlic are natural antiseptics, and if the inflammation in the gums is minor, they can cope with it. But all these measures do not replace consultation with a dentist.

What not to do? You should not place a warm compress on the jaw on the side of the diseased tooth, especially if swelling (flux) has already formed. Do not rub the sore spot, pick the tooth with hard objects, or touch the inflamed gum with your hands. All this can lead to the spread of infection.

Prevention. A tooth with a hole, even if it does not hurt, is always a potential source of infection in the body. Tooth decay can cause problems with digestion, heart, and kidneys. Therefore, do not delay visiting a doctor if the problem already exists.

Due to a cold nerve

Trigeminal neuralgia can radiate into the ear.

What will confirm the guess? The pain occurs suddenly, in attacks lasting 2 minutes. It is provoked by chewing, washing, brushing teeth, a gust of wind, or a simple touch. It resembles an electric shock in nature. May be accompanied by facial redness, spasms of facial and masticatory muscles.

What to do? Typical trigeminal neuralgia requires medical attention, so contact a neurologist as soon as possible. He will prescribe effective treatment. Usually a course (about 10-14 days) of antispasmodics is prescribed - drugs that relieve spasms, for example, no-shpa, as well as a sedative - based on valerian, St. John's wort, lemon balm. To strengthen the nervous system, it is useful to take a course of B vitamins.

What not to do? For a while you need to give up stimulating drinks (coffee, strong tea) and spicy dishes and spices. All this can contribute to exacerbation.

Prevention. To prevent neuralgia, it is important not to get too cold. In some cases, it is difficult to prevent trigeminal neuralgia, since it can be a consequence of injuries or one of the manifestations of other diseases - a tumor, herpes, again a diseased tooth (by the way, it often appears after a poorly placed filling).

Pain caused by ear injury

Ear pain can result from injury inside the ear—for example, by scraping earwax from the ear canal with a cotton swab, or by pushing a Q-tip too far into the ear, which can puncture the eardrum.

The ear canal is very sensitive and can be easily damaged. The ear will heal on its own without treatment, but it can take six to eight weeks for a perforated eardrum.

Ear pain caused by earwax

If your ear pain is due to a blockage of hard earwax, do not try to remove it with a cotton swab, as this will only push it further in and you may damage your eardrum.

Instead, your doctor or pharmacist may prescribe ear drops to soften the wax so that it falls out naturally. In some cases, the doctor may need to remove the wax by irrigating the ear with water.

What about babies?

Even the smallest children are not immune to ear pain. “Mom, my ear hurts,” a two-year-old might say. But the baby is not able to talk about what causes him discomfort, he will simply cry, refuse the breast, sleep restlessly at night, rub his ear on the pillow, reach out with his hand to his ear. You can find out the cause of the pain by intensely pressing on the ear tragus. If the baby cries, it is probably otitis media. To avoid complications, immediately show your child to the doctor.

Prevention. Otitis in children is much more common than in adults and the likelihood of complications is greater. This is due to the structural features of children's ears: their auditory tube is wider and shorter. It is important to prevent mucus from getting into it during a cold and milk during feeding. To do this: - teach your baby to blow his nose correctly: this should be done without excessive force, you cannot blow mucus out of both nostrils at once, only one at a time, - after feeding, hold the baby upright, so that he regurgitates excess milk and it does not get from the oral cavity into the nasopharynx, and then through the auditory tube into the middle ear.

PS. The information above should not be used to self-diagnose your health, but may give you an idea of what is causing your ear pain. It does not include all possible causes, but describes the most common causes of ear pain.

Neuralgia of the ear ganglion– pathology of the autonomic ganglion, which is characterized by paroxysms of vegetalgia, spreading to the auricle and the area around it. Paroxysm is accompanied by hypersalivation, often clicking or stuffiness appears in the ears.

There are no hearing problems; a neurologist is responsible for diagnosis; the patient is additionally examined by an otolaryngologist, dentist and other doctors, taking into account the clinical situation. The treatment plan is made up of numerous medications.

The auricular vegetative ganglion collects intermediate nerve fibers from the spinal cord and brain. Like other pathologies in the cranial nerve tissues, neuralgia of the ear ganglion appears due to pain impulses that form spontaneously during infectious processes. Often the following pathologies lead to pain attacks:

Acute and chronic parotitis is an inflammation of the glands located near the ears.
Sialadenitis. Stones form in the salivary glands, the ducts become clogged, and another inflammation appears.
Purulent chronic otitis.
Tonsillitis.
Inflammation of the sinuses - sinusitis and other sinusitis.
Odontogenic pathologies of the dental systems and oral cavity.

All these processes involve inflammation. It is necessary to take into account the possibility of secondary damage to the ear ganglion, when the focus or infectious process is not localized within the skull.

Symptoms

The most significant and persistent symptom is increased pain in the area of the external auditory canal, near the temple and around the ear. Like other neuralgic pains, this one is sharp, it resembles electricity, burns, pulsates, and causes discomfort. The symptom can spread to the ear, jaw and even shoulders.

Pain and cough may indicate signs of neuralgia. What can cause a painful attack? Often these are high-temperature foods, soups, teas, cold, wind, and possible hypothermia of the face. Increased physical activity, which is accompanied by a rush of blood to the head, the face turns red.

Stress can cause this pain, similar to other types of neuralgia. There is also psycho-emotional stress. Such an attack does not last long, only a couple of minutes, no longer than an hour.

Often, a seizure can be triggered by changes in external factors such as atmospheric pressure. It is not so often that seizures are activated by temperature changes. All of the above allows us to understand that the right time for exacerbation of this type of neuralgia occurs in autumn and spring.

In a situation where the pain reaches a certain threshold, a spasm occurs in the eustachian tube. Spasms lead to the isolation of pressure in the pipe, excess air mass comes out of the eardrum and a peculiar click is heard. Ear congestion often occurs.

Increased salivation in the affected area during a seizure is another symptom of vegetalgia.

Diagnostics

We list the main methods:

Clinical. Patient complaints are taken into account. The diagnosis is confirmed: pain during palpation of the head, worsening sensitivity and pain near the ear.
A blockade is performed in the area of the ear ganglion by administering anesthetics, novocaine and lidocaine. This procedure brings a lot of relief to people. Anesthetics are injected into the Richer point through a needle. Medications should be administered between the frontal cartilages of the external auditory canal and the process of the mandible without damaging the temporal artery.
To exclude symptoms of inflammation in the parotid or salivary gland, the dentist performs an examination. An otolaryngologist determines chronic inflammation.
A bilateral ultrasound of the gland that secretes saliva and the one located near the ear is performed.
It is necessary to conduct an MRI of the brain and skull bones to eliminate the volumetric process.

How is it different from otitis media?

Neuralgia of the ear nodes can be mistaken for otitis media. To determine this, you need to be aware of the symptoms of inflammation in the middle ear:

Increase in body temperature.
Fever and weakness of the body.
If you try to open your mouth wide, pain begins.
There is pus flowing from the ear.

With otitis media, there is a prolonged aching pain with high fever. The ear does not hurt after the breakthrough. During neuralgia, body temperature remains normal. The patient does not have a fever; acute symptoms occur from time to time. The discomfort is worse when hot food is used, rather than when the mouth is opened. This is typical for inflammation of the middle ear.

Treatment options

The main medications are analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. To eliminate pain, the use of painkillers, together with analgin or ibuprofen, is indicated. To eliminate inflammation, products containing diclofenac or ibuprofen are used. These non-steroidal medications help relieve inflammation and pain.

Antispasmodics relieve muscle spasms, the auditory lip, which accompanies neuralgia and aggravates discomfort. The use of such medications helps to quickly improve the patient’s well-being.

To strengthen well-being and stimulate the healing process, it is recommended to use sedatives. They help improve sleep and strengthen the nervous system. This reduces the frequency of pain attacks and helps with recovery.

The therapy is supplemented with B vitamins to strengthen nerve fibers and restore them more effectively. Vasodilators and nicotinic acid are often used to stimulate local circulation and eliminate spasms. If for certain reasons therapy is not possible, the following is carried out:

Acupuncture effect.
Amplipulse.
Electrophoresis.

The pressure on nerve fibers is reduced and metabolism is stimulated.

Prevention

Preventive procedures involve eliminating factors that cause pathology:

Identify and eliminate pathologies of the ENT organs in a timely manner, without leading to relapses.
Do not use ototoxic drugs.
Patients who constantly interact with complex production factors should undergo audiometry 2 times a year.
We need a healthy lifestyle.
Multivitamins should be taken in spring and autumn.
Ears need to be covered with something in production where it is noisy.
Use a hat in winter.

Features of the structure of the auditory nerve

The auditory nerve consists of 2 branches:

Vestibular.
Cochlear.

The vestibular process begins in the organs of balance. The hearing aid approaches the hearing aid. Signs of inflammation include not only hearing problems, but also tinnitus, dizziness, and unsteady gait.

Receptors and hair cells are located in the inner ear. Changing the position of the stapes leads to fluid vibrations in the membranous labyrinths, which can be converted into electrical discharges sent to the brain.

The perception of sounds by the ears and their processing by the nervous system involve complex physiological processes that enable people to hear sounds and determine where they come from. Under the influence of environmental factors, damage to the hearing organs occurs, microcirculation disorders appear, hypoxia appears in the cellular structures of the nerve trunk, which is inflamed and no longer works normally.

Most often, many people identify ear pain with otitis, especially if you previously had to be treated by an otolaryngologist, take antibiotics, or take ear drops. If acute, shooting pain in the ear occurs during the cold season, then, almost always, this diagnosis does not raise suspicion.

Reason to contact an otolaryngologist

Naturally, first of all you need to go to an otolaryngologist. After all, the development of an infectious process in an area close to the structures of the central nervous system and the cranial cavity should not be started. In extreme cases, this is fraught with the development of a purulent process of the membranes of the brain with the development of purulent meningitis and meningoencephalitis.

But it happens that hypothermia, frequent respiratory viral infections (especially herpetic) can provoke the development of neuralgia of individual branches, or inflammation of the ganglia (for example,).

As a rule, these are diseases such as:

Frey's neuralgia, or auriculotemporal neuralgia. Associated with damage to the auriculotemporal nerve;
Inflammation of the genu ganglion (Hunt's neuralgia), which relates to the system and intermediate;
Ganglionitis of the ear node.

The structure of the ear node

Signs of neurological sources of pain

Common signs of these neurological sources of pain are characterized by the following:

The pain is very strong, paroxysmal, without “precursors”, lasting no more than a few seconds;
Often on the face and in the ear canal you can notice blistering rashes - these neuralgia can be caused by herpes viruses;
Pain can radiate (give) from the ear most often to the temple area, neck, and even the lower jaw.
These attacks can be provoked not only by a cold, but also by eating certain types of food, for example, very hot and spicy, or very sweet and sour. In any case, this is an excessive load on the trigeminal nerve, which is capable of perceiving taste information through simple sensations. In the case when pepper “burns in the mouth,” we receive this perception with the help of trigeminal innervation, and not specific taste;
In addition, bright light, loud sounds, staying in a bathhouse (in the heat) can provoke such attacks;
The onset of pain most often occurs at night.

There are some features that are difficult for the patient or his environment to notice, but are recognized by an experienced one.

Neuralgia of Frey and Hunt

With Frey's neuralgia, such a “strange phenomenon” occurs as separate redness of the skin of the ear and temple on one side, and increased humidity in this area due to increased sweating.

It can develop as a complication after operations for mumps (inflammation of the parotid gland), even in a fairly long-term period due to compression of the nerve by adhesions or scars, more precisely, its vegetative fibers, which are responsible for sweating and dilation of skin vessels.

Inflammation of the glands with mumps

With Hunt's neuralgia (since the knee node belongs to the facial nerve system), there may be a decrease in taste, or its perversions, which relate to most of the tongue (anterior 2/3). Phenomena such as hyperacusis often occur - loud sounds, noise and ringing in the ears are disturbing. Sensitivity on the facial skin increases on the affected side. Dizziness may occur.

In the case of ganglionitis, there is a “critical point”. So, if you press between the external auditory canal and the temporomandibular joint, then, in most cases, this will provoke an attack of severe pain. It is with this type of maxillofacial neuralgia, due to the superficial location of the ear ganglion, that it is possible to carry out a therapeutic and diagnostic blockade.

The peculiarity of ganglionitis is that the pain often has a pronounced burning character, which is accompanied by congestion in the ear. In general, a burning sensation is uncharacteristic of inflammatory processes in the ear cavity, and, on the contrary, helps to make a diagnosis of neuralgia, the cause of which is the herpes virus.

Otitis or neuralgia?

Differential diagnosis of otitis media and neuralgic pain is often quite difficult. But in classic cases, the symptoms of otitis media differ in the following signs:

Fever or rise in temperature is possible. As a rule, neuralgia is not accompanied by an increase or disturbance in general well-being;
With otitis media, sharp pain often occurs when opening the mouth, as well as when trying to wiggle a finger in the opening of the external auditory canal. In addition, the finger may seem cool on the affected side if you plug both ears with your fingers;
When the ear is inflamed, pus with an unpleasant odor may be released from the ear canal, which never happens with neuralgia;
If you pull the ear or press on the tragus, pain most often occurs with otitis media. With neuralgia, as a rule, displacement of ear structures does not lead to a sharp attack of pain.

The photo shows the “tragus” of the ear. If you press on the tragus, pain will occur with otitis

A similarity to neuralgic pain occurs with acute swelling of the ear canal and the appearance of pressure on the eardrum.

In conclusion, it is necessary to say about the course of the disease. In the case of neuralgia, a long-term, recurrent course is possible, in which the main complaint is pain. In the case of otitis, in the absence of treatment and antibiotic therapy, hearing loss is possible, as well as the infection spreading to the mastoid process - with the development of mastoiditis. This is a complication of otitis, which is characterized by purulent melting of the mastoid process of the temporal bone.

It is also worth recalling that general treatment for neuralgia is partially suitable for preventing otitis media.

Acoustic neuritis is a disease of the nervous system characterized by the manifestation of an inflammatory process in the nerve that provides auditory function. In the medical literature, this disease is also called “cochlear neuritis.” Typically, this pathology is diagnosed in older people over 50 years of age (more often in the stronger sex). Such people rarely seek help from a qualified specialist, considering the decline in hearing function to be a normal process that accompanies the aging of the body.

It is worth noting that acoustic neuritis is more often diagnosed in residents of large cities. This trend is due to the fact that in such cities there is quite intense background noise, which negatively affects hearing function.

Depending on the duration of cochlear neuritis, there are three forms: acute, subacute and chronic. Acute neuritis of the auditory nerve occurs rapidly. Its main symptom is decreased hearing function. But since there are no other signs other than this, most people attribute hearing loss to the presence of cerumen. Chronic cochlear neuritis has a hidden course. He may not show any symptoms for a long time. Periodically gives exacerbations.

Etiology

Cochlear neuritis can begin to progress against the background of such ailments:

spinal column;
(or chronic);
, which began to progress against the background of impaired blood circulation in the ear;
cardiovascular diseases;
atrophy of the auditory nerve. This condition can occur due to long-term use of diuretics, antibiotics, as well as other groups of drugs that contribute to the intoxication of the elements of the hearing aid;
tumor of the auditory nerve;
ailments of an infectious nature - meningococcal infection, etc.;
certain types of allergies;
hemorrhage in the inner ear;
diseases of the endocrine system;
brain injuries.

It is worth noting that more often cochlear neuritis is a complication of infectious inflammatory processes that progress in the human body. In addition to the above reasons, smoking, regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, and working in conditions of increased noise and vibration can contribute to the development of auditory neuritis.

Symptoms

Acute neuritis of the auditory nerve occurs rapidly and often against the background of absolute health. He also progresses quickly. It is worth noting that patients usually have no symptoms (no hyperthermia, no pain in the affected area).

The main symptoms of cochlear neuritis:

decreased hearing function of varying severity. If you do not fully treat acoustic neuritis at this stage, the disease will progress and can lead to complete deafness;
, intense noise (can be either constant or periodic).

If you treat the disease when these symptoms appear, the prognosis is usually favorable. Without adequate therapy, vestibular disorders will occur, as well as irreversible changes in the auditory organ.

The chronic form of acoustic neuritis is characterized by alternating periods of remission and exacerbation. This form is manifested by the following symptoms:

neuralgia. Pain periodically occurs in the ear due to damage to the structures of the hearing aid;
dizziness;
symptoms of intoxication. A person may experience nausea and weakness;
hyperthermia, cough and sore throat appear if the main cause of progression of neuritis is a viral infection;
Symptoms such as hypertension, severe headaches and “floaters before the eyes” appear if the circulation of blood in the brain is impaired.

Diagnostics

If the above symptoms occur, you should immediately contact a qualified specialist for a comprehensive diagnosis. The doctor first examines the patient’s ear, collects an anamnesis of life and, directly, the disease itself. If necessary, he asks a number of clarifying questions regarding professional activities, etc. The following are additional research methods:

tympanometry;
audiometry;
Rene's test;
Weber test.

To identify the true cause of the auditory neuritis, the patient may be referred for consultation to specialists, as well as several more studies - skull x-ray, CT scan, etc.

Treatment

Before developing a treatment plan for cochlear neuritis, the true cause of the disease should be clarified. Patients with the acute form are treated in an inpatient setting. Therapy includes the following drugs:

diuretics;
means for normalizing metabolism;
medications to normalize blood circulation in the brain.

Detoxification therapy is also mandatory.

When treating the chronic form, it is important to eliminate the main etiological factor. If infectious neuritis has been diagnosed, it should be treated with antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs. In order to speed up metabolism in cells, antioxidants are prescribed, as well as various vitamin complexes.

Treatment of toxic cochlear neuritis involves the use of specific antidotes (substances that help remove accumulated toxins from the human body). Symptomatic therapy is also being developed, and rehabilitation measures are being carried out. Treating this form of the disease with folk remedies is strictly contraindicated.

Experts begin to treat traumatic neuritis only after consulting a neurologist and receiving the results of an X-ray of the skull. Usually prescribed:

anticonvulsants;
diuretics;
vitamin complexes;
analgesics;
nootropic drugs.

The ear ganglion is relatively rarely the cause of neuralgic pain, but still, you need to be aware of this source of pain associated with the cranial nerves, especially since this type of neuralgia can simulate attacks, forcing the patient to consult an otolaryngologist in vain.

A little anatomy

The ear ganglion is a very compact but complex “communication hub”. It includes vegetative and sensory fibers. Let us list its functions, from this it will be clear what features will occur if it is defeated:

sensitive innervation of the temporomandibular joint. All sensations, including pain that occurs when chewing, pass through this “relay”;
the ganglion provides sensitivity to the skin of the external auditory canal and temporal region;
its branches innervate the eardrum;
it supplies innervation to the parotid gland.

The picture shows an ear node

So, neuralgia of the ear ganglion (ganglion oticum) is a disease that occurs with attacks of acute, shooting pain in the ear and parotid area. Reflection of pain (irradiation) can occur in the arm, chest, but more often irradiation occurs in the neck, back of the head and lower jaw.

Nerve ganglia of the cranial cavity

A characteristic manifestation will be the appearance of hypersalivation during an attack of pain. Hypersalivation is in this case increased secretion of saliva. Additionally, there may be a feeling of stuffiness in the ear and the appearance of shooting pains. Hearing is not affected (unlike neuritis of the facial nerve, when in most cases hyperacusis develops).

It is precisely because many nerve fibers are involved in the anatomy of the ear node that the joint work of a neurologist, dentist and otolaryngologist is required to make a correct diagnosis. This disease belongs to the group of vegetative ganglionitis, and is adjacent to the ciliary ganglion, submandibular and sublingual nodes. Autonomic disorders also cause cervical truncitis and ganglionitis of the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion.

Reasons for the development of the disease

Like other neuralgia of the cranial nerves, neuralgia of the ear ganglion occurs due to the occurrence of foci of pain impulses that form spontaneously as a result of the development of infection. Most often, the following diseases and processes lead to the development of painful attacks:

acute and chronic parotitis – inflammation of the salivary glands;
sialadenitis, the formation of stones in the salivary glands with blockage of the ducts and the development of secondary inflammation;
chronic otitis, including purulent;
chronic tonsillitis (angina);
inflammation of the sinuses - frontal sinusitis, sinusitis, ethmoiditis and other sinusitis;
odontogenic diseases of the dental system and oral cavity - gingivitis, periodontitis, stomatitis.

As you can see, all these diseases are inflammatory. Secondary damage to the ear ganglion is also possible if the source of inflammation or purulent infection is distant from the skull. These may be diseases such as damage to the kidneys and urinary tract (pyelonephritis), septic lesions, pneumonia, including chronic, tuberculous processes. Also, the impetus for the development of many, including the ear ganglion, is such metabolic diseases as cirrhosis of the liver, chronic alcoholism, diabetes, chronic gastritis, chronic renal failure, in cases where it develops.

Signs of damage to the ear ganglion

The most important and constant symptom is severe pain in the area of the external auditory canal, somewhat anteriorly, as well as in the temple area and around the ear. Like all other neuralgic pains, it is very sharp, similar to an electric shock, burning, throbbing and very unpleasant. It is capable of giving, as already mentioned, to the ear, jaw, and shoulder, respectively, to the side of the lesion. Also, symptoms of neuralgia of the ear node may be indicated by complaints such as.

What can trigger an attack of this pain? Most often, this is very hot liquid food - soup, tea, going out into the cold and wind with subsequent hypothermia of the face. Intense physical work with a rush of blood to the face (bending work). This pain, like any other neuralgia, can be provoked by psycho-emotional stress. As a rule, an attack of such pain does not last long - a few minutes, and in any case its duration does not exceed an hour.

Sometimes an attack can be provoked by changes in environmental factors such as changes in atmospheric pressure (since the eardrum, whose innervation is connected to the ear ganglion, is sensitive to these fluctuations). Somewhat less frequently, attacks are activated by changes in air temperature (usually a decrease) and humidity.

All of the above makes it clear that the favorite time of year for exacerbation of this type of neuralgia (as, indeed, for most others - and) is spring and autumn.

If the pain reaches a certain threshold, the muscles of the Eustachian (auditory) tube respond to it with a spasm. This spasm leads to a change in pressure in the pipe, and the eardrum, releasing excess air, produces a characteristic “click”. Sometimes a feeling of stuffiness in the ear may occur.

An increase in salivation on the affected side during a painful attack is another characteristic sign of this autonomic disorder. During the “light” intervals, the function of salivation is not impaired.

How to diagnose auricular ganglioneuritis?

Clinically - based on the characteristic pattern of complaints. The diagnosis is confirmed by painful points on palpation of the head - Richet's point, as well as increased pain sensitivity and discomfort in the parotid region;
By performing a special blockade of the ear ganglion using a local anesthetic - novocaine or a smaller amount of lidocaine. This procedure, in addition to verifying the diagnosis, brings significant relief to the patient. The anesthetic is injected into the Richer point with a simple needle. The substance must be injected between the anterior cartilage of the external auditory canal and the process of the mandible without damaging the temporal artery.
To exclude signs of inflammation in the parotid salivary gland, a dentist must conduct an examination; an otolaryngologist examines for the presence of chronic inflammatory diseases of the ear, nose and throat.
A bilateral ultrasound of the parotid salivary gland is performed;
Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and bone structures of the skull is mandatory to exclude a space-occupying process.

Treatment of ear vegetalgia

As always, the measures consist of emergency pain relief and general therapy, which treats the underlying cause and prevents the occurrence of new attacks. Treatment is also considered effective if the duration of the “light” intervals increases.

For the purpose, in contrast to anticonvulsants for trigeminal neuralgia, ganglion-blocking drugs are used: pentamine, arfonade, pyrylene, benzohexonium. Antispasmodics (No-Shpa, Halidor, papaverine hydrochloride) have a good therapeutic effect. Unlike trigeminal neuralgia, with neuralgia of the ear ganglion, muscle spasm plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Thus, relaxing the muscles of the auditory tube can reduce pain and discomfort in the ear.

Sedatives (valerian, Persen - Forte, Phytosedan) and hypnotics (zopiclone (Imovan), donormil, phenazepam) are used. Previously, barbiturates were used (luminal, veronal, barbamyl, etaminal - sodium), but now, due to pronounced side effects, they are not used.

According to the scheme, B vitamins are used (including nicotinic acid), electrophoresis is performed with novocaine or thiamine (vitamin B 1).

In the photo - The drug “Milgamma” - combination therapy with B vitamins

If salivation is severe, platyphylline is used to reduce secretion. An important link in the treatment of possible edema is taking antihistamines.

Great importance is attached to physiotherapeutic procedures and methods: magnetotherapy, laser therapy, massage, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, warming biologically active points with wormwood cigars.

It should be noted that relapses of the disease are possible. To avoid them, you need to promptly sanitize the oral cavity, cure your teeth, try not to aggravate existing chronic diseases of the ENT organs, and monitor your blood sugar levels.