A Case of Idiopathic Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia

Abstract

We report a patient with idiopathic glossopharyngeal neuralgia and of severe pain in the field of the glossopharyngeal nerve. The characteristics of idiopathic glossopharyngeal neuralgia resemble those of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. However, idiopathic glossopharyngeal neuralgia is unusually rare in comparison with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. The patient's complaint was of intolerable sore throat, for about 2 years. However, no evidence of the organic change was found by routine examinations, and general antiinflammatory drugs (aspirin) were ineffective. Therefore, the glossopharyngeal neurolectomy was perfomed by the transoropharyngeal approach. She was cured from the initable neuralgia completely after the operation.