Neuralgia describes a shooting and shocking pain that develops due to damaged or irritated nerves and is located in the area supplied by the affected nerves. The treatment of neuralgia will focus on pain relief. When a person experiences similar problems as described here, it is important to visit a neurologist for further investigation.
Neuralgia is pain of the nerve, which often occurs suddenly and can be severe. It is characterized as electrifying, sharp or even burning pain. The pain occurs in the area supplied by damaged nerves. Damage of the nerve can happen anywhere in the human body, however, the most common places include the face and neck.
The cause of neuralgia is mainly due to nerve damage. The nerve fibers are protected by a myelin sheath. If the myelin sheath is damaged, it may result in nerve pain. Besides, also damage on the nerve fiber itself or circulatory disorders of a nerve can lead to neuralgia. There are many factors that can result in damage of the nerve, including 1) old age, 2) infection, 3) multiple sclerosis, 4) pressure on the nerves (for example herniated disks or carpal tunnel syndrome), 5) diabetes, 6) chronic renal disease, 7) porphyria, 8) trauma, 9) chemical irritation and the like. The most common neuralgias are the following: 1) Postherpetic neuralgia: it results from shingles and may be located anywhere over the body. 2) Trigeminal neuralgia: it is caused by damage of the trigeminal nerve, which goes from the brain to the face. 3) Glossopharyngeal neuralgia: damage of the glossopharyngeal nerve may produce pain in throat and neck.
The treatments of neuralgia may include 1) surgery which can relieve the pressure on the nerve, 2) control of blood sugar, 3) physical therapy and 4) medications. The common medications include anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen, anti-depressant drugs such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline, and topical ointments with capsaicin. For people with severe pain, anti-seizure medications such as carbamazepine and narcotic pain medications such as opioids may be used. If the pain cannot be controlled with these medications, the last option is local anesthesia or electrical nerve stimulation.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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