Neuralgia

(nu-raF -je-ah) [vevpov, nerve; a\yoc, pain]. Severe paroxysmal pain along the course of a nerve and not a ociated with demonstrable structural changes in the nerve. According to their anatomic situation the following forms of neuralgia are described: trigeminal N., tic douloureux, or prosopalgia; supraorbital N; cervicooccipital N; cervicobrachial and brachial N.; intercostal N.; sciatica or ischias; coccygodynia; visceral N. (as hepatic, gastric, intestinal, uterine, ovarian N.). According to their causes, neuralgias are cla ed as anemic, malarial, gouty, rheumatic, syphilitic, diabetic, toxic [e. g., alcoholic, saturnine), hysteric, and reflex. The pain of N. is sharp, stabbing, and paroxysmal, lasting usually but a short time; tenderne is often present at the points of exit of the nerve {points douloureux). Intercostal neuralgia is at times a ociated with herpes zoster. 444