Neuralgia

Neuralgia is burning pain that follows the course of a nerve or nerves. Trigeminal neuralgia, or tic douloureux is the most common form of neuralgia. The cause is occasionally a blood vessel or small tumor pressing on the trigeminal nerve, which travels along the temple and forehead to the lower face and jaw. It affects mostly women, usually those older than 50 years. Another common cause of neuralgia, called postherpetic neuralgia, is caused by the herpes virus, as in the disease shingles. The neuralgia can be debilitating long after signs of the original herpes infection have disappeared. Neuralgia can also occur after injury to an area, and may involve any area of the body. Neuralgia due to injury is rare, however.