What causes pain in great auricular nerve?

The great auricular neuralgia is a very rare disorder. The pathogenesis of great auricular neuralgia remained unknown clearly. It may be idiopathic or secondary to surgery or trauma of head and neck or prolonged pressure on the neck.

What is auricular neuralgia?

Great Auricular Neuralgia. Description: A disorder characterized by unilateral brief stabbing pain, abrupt in onset and termination, in the distribution of the great auricular nerve (preauricular, parotid and jaw angle and/or posteroinferior pinna and mastoid).

What does the greater auricular nerve affect?

The greater auricular nerve is a cutaneous branch of the cervical plexus that innervates the skin of the auricle as well as skin over the parotid gland and mastoid process. The greater auricular nerve also supplies branches that innervate the deep layer of the parotid fascia.

Do I need to see a neurologist for occipital neuralgia?

Occipital neuralgia can be very difficult to diagnose because of its similarities with migraines and other headache disorders. Therefore, it is important to seek medical care when you begin feeling unusual, sharp pain in the neck or scalp and the pain is not accompanied by nausea or light sensitivity.

Where is the auricular nerve located?

The greater auricular nerve can be found between the angle of the mandible and the tip of the mastoid process on the lateral surface of the sternocleidomastoid muscle,37 posterosuperior to the external jugular vein (Fig. 30-9). The nerve can be harvested through an oblique skin incision placed in a skin crease.

How do you know if you have a great auricular nerve?

The great auricular nerve (GAN) is shown deep to the SMAS flap and immediately superficial to the belly of the SCM. Lateral border of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS)–platysma flap just medial to the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM).

Can you get neuralgia in your head?

Occipital neuralgia is a distinct type of headache characterized by piercing, throbbing, or electric-shock-like chronic pain in the upper neck, back of the head, and behind the ears, usually on one side of the head. Typically, the pain of occipital neuralgia begins in the neck and then spreads upwards.

What are the symptoms of neuralgia in the head and neck?

Symptoms of occipital neuralgia include continuous aching, burning and throbbing, with intermittent shocking or shooting pain that generally starts at the base of the head and goes to the scalp on one or both sides of the head. Patients often have pain behind the eye of the affected side of the head.

Is there such a thing as great auricular neuralgia?

The great auricular neuralgia is a very rare disorder. The pathogenesis of great auricular neuralgia remained unknown clearly. It may be idiopathic or secondary to surgery or trauma of head and neck or prolonged pressure on the neck.

How is nerve block used to treat great auricular neuralgia?

In the preclinical and clinical studies, it was shown that early application of nerve block can prevent or reduce neuropathic pain. [10,11] Therefore, we decided to turn our therapeutic focus toward nerve block. Great auricular nerve block was achieved via superficial cervical plexus block using large volumes of local anesthetics.

Can a tumor damage the great auricular nerve?

The great auricular nerve can be damaged by the neck surgery, tumor, and long-time pressure on the neck. But, great auricular neuralgia is very rare condition. It was managed by several medication and landmark-based great auricular nerve block with poor prognosis.

What are the branches of the great auricular nerve?

The great auricular nerve (GAN) leaves the C2-C3 cervical rami, wraps around the sternocleidomastoid muscle, then divides into: anterior branch (skin over preauricular, parotid, jaw angle) and posterior branch (skin over mastoid and posteroinferior pinna). GAN damage is well described with procedures nearby the nerve course.