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Show HEALTH AHVirF By Dr. Morris Fishbein Editor, Journal of Hi Anwrkaa Mrft-cal Mrft-cal Amocmim This is the twelfth, and last in aeries in which Dr. Morris Fishbein Fish-bein discussed cause, effect and treatment of diseases of the ncrv-ous ncrv-ous system. s When a peripheral nerve J one that passes toward the outer portions por-tions of the body away from the spinal cord) become Inflamed, there is likely to be pain and interference in-terference with its function. Some forms of neuritis or neuralgia neu-ralgia are almost unbearable, especially es-pecially those which affect the nerves of the face. In a typical facial neuralgia, the characteristic pain is stabbing, along the course of one of the chief nerves which has three branches spreading over the faca from a center near the ear. The nerve may be so sensitive that any cold current of air blowing blow-ing on the face, or even the light touch of a finger, or the ordinary movements of the face and jaws may cause the sudden stabbing pain. When the eighth nerve, which controls the sense of hearing, is affected, there may be disturbances disturb-ances of the sense of hearing and of balance, with sudden sensations of dizziness end sometimes nausea and vomiting. If the inflammation affects the nerves that control the sense of taste, there may be disorder of this sensation, sometimes pains in the throat, or at the base of the tongue when eating, chewing, awallowing or talking. In many of these conditions the place where the pain is felt may appear absolutely abso-lutely normal. Nowadays a neuralgia or neuritis neu-ritis may be relieved in many different ways. The physician can prescribe one of several hundred different preparations which have the power to lessen the sense of pain. In the case of the fifth or trigeminal tri-geminal nerve of the face particularly, par-ticularly, it is possible to inject alcohol or other solutions directly into the nerve and block the possibility pos-sibility of sensation passing along it. New surgical operations have been developed whereby to open the tissues and dissect out the chief cells, known as ganglion cells, from which the nerve arises. The operation is difficult and, of course, the function of the nerve may be lost after such an operation, opera-tion, but the pain in the worst caaea is so severe that the operation opera-tion may be a lesser trouble. In every case of persistent pain, the Importance of a prompt and accurate diagnosis cannot be overestimated. over-estimated. Pain is a warning signal. sig-nal. The intelligent man will heed the warning. |