How do you calm the glossopharyngeal nerve?
The most effective drugs are antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine. Antidepressants may help certain people. In severe cases, when pain is difficult to treat, surgery to take pressure off the glossopharyngeal nerve may be needed.
What kind of doctor treats glossopharyngeal neuralgia?
If the pain requires further evaluation, a neurologist or a neurosurgeon may be recommended. The diagnosis of neuralgia is made after carefully assessing the patient’s symptoms. If glossopharyngeal neuralgia is suspected, the doctor will attempt to trigger an episode by touching the back of the throat with a swab.
Is glossopharyngeal neuralgia an autoimmune disease?
Glossopharyngeal neuralgia associated with an autoimmune disorder of the thyroid gland.
How is glossopharyngeal neuralgia treated in the US?
A frame is placed on the head and MRI/CT pictures are taken. The treatment is performed by a neurosurgeon and radiation oncologist working together. The glossopharyngeal nerve is targeted using highly precise software and a high dose of focused radiation is delivered onto the nerve to cause partial injury.
What causes pain in the glossopharyngeal nerve?
The pain may be triggered by swallowing, speaking, laughing, chewing, or coughing. [1] Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is thought to be caused by irritation of the glossopharyngeal nerve, but the exact cause of the irritation is sometimes unknown. [1]
How is glossopharyngeal neuralgia inherited from a parent?
Inheritance Inheritance. In most cases, glossopharyngeal neuralgia is caused by irritation of the glossopharyngeal nerve and is not inherited (passed down from parent to child). In most cases, a person with glossopharyngeal neuralgia is the only person with the disorder in the family.
What is the function of the vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves?
A primary function of the glossopharyngeal (9th cranial) and vagus (10th cranial) nerves is to carry sensation from a number of structures around the back of the throat to the brainstem.