Geniculate ganglionitis

Geniculate ganglionitis or Geniculate Neuralgia (GN), also called nervus intermedius neuralgia, is a rare disorder that involves severe pain deep in the ear, that may spread to the ear canal, outer ear, mastoid or eye regions. GN may also occur in combination with trigeminal or glossopharyngeal neuralgia. The pain of GN is sharp, shooting or burning and can last for hours. Painful attacks can be triggered by cold, noise, swallowing or touch, but triggers are usually unique to the sufferer. Other related symptoms that may be experienced include increased salivation, bitter taste, tinnitus and vertigo. This disorder usually occurs in young to middle-aged adults, and more commonly in women. Geniculate Neuralgia may be caused by compression of somatic sensory branch of cranial nerve VII which goes through the nervus intermedius. In sufferers of GN, signals sent along these nerves are altered and interpreted by the geniculate ganglion (a structure in the brain) as GN pain. GN may also develop following herpes zoster oticus (Ramsay Hunt syndrome), where cold sores occur on the ear drum or ear. This may also be associated with facial paresis (weakness), tinnitus, vertigo and deafness.

Treatments

GN usually cannot be treated with medications. A variety of surgeries have been performed including microvascular decompression of the fifth, ninth, and tenth nerves, as well as partial cutting of the nervus intermedius, geniculate ganglion, chorda tympani and/or the ninth and tenth cranial nerves.

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