09.04
Here’s a handy way to think of the two basic patterns:
#1: The nerve is the messenger. If you have a dental abscess, a facial sunburn or a sinus infection, you can count on pain being present. Where does it come from? Special nerve endings detect the tissue-injury and generate electrical impulses. The peripheral nerves carry these impulses into the brain. The peripheral nerves didn’t CAUSE the pain, they’re just carrying the bad news. (Don’t shoot the messenger!)
#2: The nerve itself is the mischief-maker. In some cases the nerve generates abnormal impulses on its own. The nerve is still capable of carrying normal impulses, like those informing the brain that the skin of the face is warm or cold?or that you cut yourself shaving?but generates signals of its own as well that the brain can only interpret as painful.
When peripheral nerves generate bolts of pain in the forehead, eye, cheek or jaw, it’s called trigeminal neuralgia. This technical term can be broken into its parts, starting at the end and working forward. “Algia” means pain. A “neur-algia” means nerve-pain. Finally, “trigeminal” is the name of the nerve involved.
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