These are very effective prescriptions, but if a person has any heart trouble I would not advise their use except under a physician's care. (Sometimes a patient with neuralgia gets desperate, and he will even resort to morphine). Antipyrine is one of the simplest coal tar remedies, and most persons can safely take it. Persons who are subject to neuralgia or headaches need to take good care of themselves. Get plenty of rest and sleep. Neuralgia at first can be cured, but when it once becomes chronic, especially neuralgia of the face, it is hard to cure and frequently makes life a constant misery. Plenty of outdoor life is essential. In that way the system will be built up, and when the body is strong the disease can be thrown off much easier. A great many people depend too much upon strong medicines. Medicines are all right in their place, but all the medicine in the world cannot cure a person unless that person does his or her part.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 265]
SPECIAL DISEASES. Facial Neuralgia. (Neuralgia of the fifth pair of Cranial Nerves. Also known as Trifacial Neuralgia. Neuralgia of the Trigeminus. Tic doloureux, etc.).—This form is more frequent than all other forms combined, this nerve being peculiarly susceptible to functional and organic disorders. All three branches are very rarely affected together, the ophthalmic (eye) branch being most often involved. The symptoms depend upon the branch involved.
1. Ophthalmic Neuralgia Pain, (eye neuralgia pain).—This pain is above the eye, or frontal kind, with a special painful point at the supraorbital (above the eye) notch. Sometimes the pain is very severe in the eye-ball.
2. Supramaxillary Neuralgia.—In this the pain is along the infraorbital (nerve beneath the eye) nerve, and there is a marked tender point at the opening in the bone (infraorbital foramen) beneath the eye. A toothache-like pain in the upper teeth is common in this variety.
3. Inframaxillary (lower maxillary) Neuralgia.—This is characterized by a scattered (diffused) pain along the inferior dental (teeth) branch, and extends from the temporal (side forehead) region over the side of the face to the chin, with pain in the lower teeth and side of the tongue. The pain in this nerve may come on without any special cause, or it may come after excitement of a physical or mental nature. Disorders of nutrition occur. The circulation is interfered with and the face, at first pale, becomes red. Eruptions may appear along the course of the nerve, while salivation and "running" (lachrymation) of the eyes are often prominent symptoms. Spasms of muscles of the face (tic doloureux) may accompany the paroxysms and this is the most terrible form of nerve pain. The attacks may be mild or very severe and sometimes sudden. This is a terrible disease, especially when it has existed for some time. A person with severe pain in the face should always attend to it immediately, before it becomes chronic.
Treatment.—It is directed towards removing the cause, if possible. Chronic cases are difficult to cure. The patient should be careful not to take cold, keep strong and healthy by regular hours for sleep, good sufficient clothing. The general health must be improved. These directions apply to all kinds of neuralgia.
INTERCOSTAL NEURALGIA.—A neuralgia of one or more of the intercostal nerves. These nerves run in a groove in the lower edge of the ribs. Causes.—It may develop without any special cause. It comes in anemia, after exposure to cold, from affection of the vertebrae, ribs, spinal cord, or from the pressure of tumors, or aneurism of the aorta. This is next in importance to neuralgia of the fifth nerve, and occurs more often in women and very common in those who have hysteria. It is more common on the left side and mostly in the nerves situated from the fifth to the ninth intercostal space. If it is located in the nerves distributed to the mammary glands it gives rise to neuralgia of the mammary gland. The flying darts of pain in the chest (pleurodynia) are to be regarded as neuralgic in character.
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Symptoms.—The pain is usually very severe, especially on movement of the intercostal (between the ribs) muscles. With this pain, as a rule, an eruption (herpes) appears along the course of the affected nerve and this is supposed to be due to the extension of the inflammation from the nerve-ends to the skin. Pain, when pressed upon, is most marked near the spinal vertebral, the breastbone (sternal) end and the middle part of the nerve. The trouble may continue a long time after the eruption (herpes) has disappeared, for it is very obstinate.