What would happens if the glossopharyngeal nerve is damaged?

What would happens if the glossopharyngeal nerve is damaged?

Glossopharyngeal nerve lesions produce difficulty swallowing; impairment of taste over the posterior one-third of the tongue and palate; impaired sensation over the posterior one-third of the tongue, palate, and pharynx; an absent gag reflex; and dysfunction of the parotid gland.

How do I get rid of GPN?

The first-line treatment of GPN is medical therapy. Because opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are ineffective against neuropathic pain, anticonvulsant medications are employed.

How does the glossopharyngeal nerve get damaged?

Most often the damage is from a blood vessel compressing the nerve. Other causes include aging, multiple sclerosis, and nearby tumors.

How serious is Glossopharyngeal neuralgia?

When the glossopharyngeal nerve becomes irritated, an attack of intense electric shock-like pain is felt in the back of the throat, tongue, tonsil or ear. You may initially experience short, mild attacks, with periods of remission. But neuralgia can progress, causing longer, frequent attacks of searing pain.

How do you calm the glossopharyngeal nerve?

First-Line Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia Treatment Anti-seizure medication, especially Tegretol and Trileptal, usually provide effective pain relief. Less often, we use neurontin and Lyrica to treat glossopharyngeal neuralgia pain. If patients do not respond to these medications, we may consider other procedures.

Which is the best treatment for glossopharyngeal neuralgia?

Causes. The goal of treatment is to control pain. 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. This is called microvascular decompression.

How long does glossopharyngeal neuralgia usually last?

This can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) is believed to be caused by irritation of the ninth cranial nerve, called the glossopharyngeal nerve.

What causes pain in the glossopharyngeal nerve?

GN can be caused by compression of the glossopharyngeal nerve, but in some cases, no cause is evident. Like trigeminal neuralgia, it is associated with multiple sclerosis. GN primarily affects the elderly. Most doctors will attempt to treat the pain first with drugs.

What kind of medication can you take for neuralgia?

Medications prescribed may include: antidepressants such as amitriptyline or nortriptyline, which are effective in treating nerve pain There is no cure for neuralgia, but treatment can help improve your symptoms. Some types of neuralgia improve over time.

What are the treatment options for glossopharyngeal neuralgia?

Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia Treatment Options. Glossopharyngeal neuralgia treatment includes medications, injections and in certain cases, which do not respond well to any treatment, surgical options may be considered. The first-line treatment of glossopharyngeal neuralgia is medical therapy.

GN can be caused by compression of the glossopharyngeal nerve, but in some cases, no cause is evident. Like trigeminal neuralgia, it is associated with multiple sclerosis. GN primarily affects the elderly. Most doctors will attempt to treat the pain first with drugs.

Who are the famous people with glossopharyngeal neuralgia?

Brian M. Grosberg, MD; Sheena A. Mehta, PA-C; Peter H. Liu, PhD; Randall Owens, MD; and Anne Williamsom, PhD Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) is a rare and painful cranial neuropathy most commonly affecting people after the sixth decade of life.

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.

Does Glossopharyngeal neuralgia have a cure?

The goal of treatment is to control pain. 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 causes damage to the glossopharyngeal nerve?

What can mimic glossopharyngeal neuralgia?

Diseases of the eye, ears, nose, throat, and teeth may all mimic glossopharyngeal neuralgia or may coexist and confuse the diagnosis. Tumors of the hypopharynx, including the tonsillar fossa and piriform sinus, may mimic the pain of glossopharyngeal neuralgia, as will tumors at the cerebellopontine angle.

How do you test for glossopharyngeal nerve?

The glossopharyngeal nerve provides sensory supply to the palate. It can be tested with the gag reflex by touching the pharynx with a tongue depressor or by touching the arches of the pharynx.

Does Glossopharyngeal neuralgia go away on its own?

People often say that the pains feel like electric shocks, and they can be triggered by swallowing, coughing, and sensations in the deep ear. Some patients may experience spontaneous remissions, where the pains go away for weeks, months, or even years. Others require treatment.

What are the symptoms of glossopharyngeal neuralgia?

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia symptoms. Symptoms of glossopharyngeal neuralgia may include severe pain in areas connected to the ninth cranial nerve, which are: Nasopharynx, or back of the nose and throat.

What causes pain in the glossopharyngeal nerve in the neck?

Compression of the glossopharyngeal nerve by a blood vessel near the brainstem may irritate the nerve and cause pain. In other cases, an elongated styloid process (a bone in the neck near the nerve) can cause pain. This condition is called Eagle syndrome.

How is microvascular decompression used for glossopharyngeal neuralgia?

Microvascular decompression: This procedure is the most common surgical technique for treating glossopharyngeal neuralgia. It is performed under general anesthesia. The surgeon will make an incision and a small opening in the bone behind the ear on the side of the head where pain occurs.

How many people have UPMC treated for glossopharyngeal neuralgia?

Despite the rarity of glossopharyngeal neuralgia, UPMC specialists have operated on more than 200 people, with more than 80 percent reporting immediate and satisfactory results.

How is glossopharyngeal neuralgia treated?

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is often treated using medication. Anticonvulsants , like carbamazepine and phenytoin , can be used to help stabilize activity in damaged nerves, while antidepressants can be used to provide pain relief.

How is the glossopharyngeal nerve tested?

To test to see if the glossopharyngeal nerve is functioning correctly, a clinician would have his/her patient stick out their tongue while they use a tongue depressor or cotton tip to press against one side of the posterior pharyngeal wall. With a gentle poking of the wall, a gag should be elicited.

Can glossopharyngeal neuralgia be cured?

If a doctor can diagnose what is causing your glossopharyngeal neuralgia, they may be able to fix it with surgery. Unfortunately, this does not work for everyone, and there is also a possibility that surgery could cause you to lose sensation in your mouth, tongue, or throat. Some cases cannot be cured.

How rare is glossopharyngeal neuralgia?

How common is glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN)? The disorder is rare , with less than 1 case reported per year among 100,000 people in the United States. It tends to occur more often in adults over age 40, but it may be present at any age. It appears to affect men more than women.