PREPATELLAR / KNEE BURSITIS

KNEE / PREPATELLAR BURSITIS - A trauma to the knee can result in damage to a prepatellar bursa, causing it to fill with blood and its lining to become inflamed. Even though the body reabsorbs the blood, the bursa lining may stay inflamed, causing knee bursitis symptoms. Bursitis is often caused by frequent "mini-traumas," which can cause the same problems as a single, more serious trauma. People who kneel a lot - people who install carpets, for example - may develop bursitis in their knees. A prepatellar bursa can become inflamed as the result of another condition, such as knee osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or pseudogout.

AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (ALS)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, is a progressive nervous system (neurological) disease that destroys nerve cells and causes disability. ALS often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in a limb, or slurred speech. Eventually, ALS affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe. 

Early signs and symptoms of ALS include:

• Difficulty walking or doing your normal daily activities
• Tripping and falling
• Weakness in your leg, feet or ankles
• Hand weakness or clumsiness
• Slurred speech or trouble swallowing
• Muscle cramps and twitching in your arms, shoulders and tongue
• Difficulty holding your head up or keeping good posture
  
  
  
  

GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL NEURALGIA

GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL NEURALGIA - Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is an irritation of the ninth cranial nerve causing extreme pain in the back of the throat, tongue and ear. Attacks of intense, electric shock-like pain can occur without warning or can be triggered by swallowing. Although the exact cause is not known, a blood vessel is often found compressing the nerve. It can also occur in people with throat or neck cancer.

In glossopharyngeal neuralgia, attacks are brief and occur intermittently, but they cause excruciating pain. Attacks may be triggered by a particular action, such as chewing, swallowing, talking, yawning, coughing, or sneezing. The pain usually begins at the back of the tongue or back of the throat. Sometimes pain spreads to the ear or the area at the back of the jaw. The pain may last several seconds to a few minutes and usually affects only one side of the throat and tongue.

CAUSES

• Blood vessels pressing on the glossopharyngeal nerve

• Growths at the base of the skull pressing on the glossopharyngeal nerve

• Tumors or infections of the throat and mouth pressing on the glossopharyngeal nerve.

TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA - Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain. If you have trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face — such as from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup — may trigger a jolt of excruciating pain. In trigeminal neuralgia, also called tic douloureux, the trigeminal nerve's function is disrupted. Usually, the problem is contact between a normal blood vessel — in this case, an artery or a vein — and the trigeminal nerve at the base of your brain. This contact puts pressure on the nerve and causes it to malfunction.Trigeminal neuralgia can occur as a result of aging, or it can be related to multiple sclerosis or a similar disorder that damages the myelin sheath protecting certain nerves. Trigeminal neuralgia can also be caused by a tumor compressing the trigeminal nerve.