What is the greater ear nerve? What functions does it perform? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article. This nerve is part of the cervical plexus (plexus cervicalis), which is formed by the anterior branches of the four cervical spinal superior nerves (CI-CIV). In the weave, in addition to the branches that create it, three loops and branches extending from them are distinguished, which are divided into three groups: connecting, muscle and skin. Find out the features of the auricular great nerve below.
Dermal branches of the cervical plexus
It is known that the cervical plexus consists of:
- Occipital minor nerve, which arises from the third and second cervical nerves (CIII and CII), runs to the posterior border of the clavicular sternomastoideus muscle, and leaving it, oftenis divided into a couple of branches. The latter follow up and to the back of the head, then branch behind the auricle and above it in the area of the skin, bordering behind the area of branching of the large occipital nerve, in front - with the segment of the large ear nerve. The lesser occipital nerve has connections with the greater occipital and ear nerves and the facial (its posterior auricular nerve).
- The large ear nerve (nervus auricularis magnus) is the largest cutaneous nerve of the cervical plexus. It starts from CIII (CIV), follows the posterior border of the clavicular sternomastoideus muscle and, bypassing it below the tiny occipital nerve, moves to the outer surface of the muscle. Here the trunk of the nerve goes forward and up to the auricle and divides into the posterior and anterior branches. What are the branches of the auricular nerve? The anterior is thinner, branches out in the skin of the segment of the parotid gland, earlobe and in the skin of the sunken surface of the auricle. The dorsal branch branches in the skin behind the ear and in the skin of the protruding surface of the ear shell.
- The transverse nerve of the neck appears from CII (CIII), goes, like the large ear nerve, to the posterior border of the clavicular sternomastoideus muscle, bypasses it and then follows in a perpendicular direction forward along the outer surface of this muscle, between it and the muscle of the subcutaneous neck. This nerve has connections with the cervical branch of the facial nerve, forming a cervical superficial loop with it.
- The supraclavicular nerves arise from CIII (CIV), follow the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and emerge from behind it just below the perpendicular nerve of the neck,located here in the zone of the clavicular-scapular triangle, under the fascia. Then, piercing the fascia, the nerves go down to the clavicle, and fan out into three sets of branches: medial supraclavicular nerves, intermediate and lateral.
Function
Agree, the anatomy of the greater ear nerve is rather intricate. It is known to have connections with the posterior auricular nerve (from the facial nerve) and the lesser occipital nerve. This nerve is very sensitive in function.
Its fibers fulfill the innervation of the skin of the auditory external passage, mandibular zone and partially activate the skin of the auricle. When it is damaged, the sensitivity in these segments is disturbed, pain appears in the area of the external auditory canal, as well as in the area of the angle of the lower jaw.
Neuralgia
What is the neuralgia of the large ear nerve? Symptomatically, it is identical to purulent inflammation of the middle ear (otitis media), which is why it is often difficult to make a correct diagnosis. Feeling pain in the ear, the patient turns to the ENT to no avail, while only a neurologist can choose the technology for treating this problem.
Features of pathology
The nerve node of the ear has a complex structure, which is formed by sensory and autonomic nerve fibers. With neuralgia of the ear, people note the following symptoms:
- profuse salivation;
- sharp and shooting pain inear;
- Feeling full in the ear.
Often the pain is reflected in the lower jaw, which makes it difficult to identify the cause of the pain syndrome and make a diagnosis, which requires consultation of three specialists - a dentist, an otolaryngologist and a neurologist.
Reasons
As a rule, neuralgia of the ear node develops due to the presence of a focus of infection in the body. Viruses spread through the bloodstream throughout the body and enter the area of the cranial nerves, activating inflammation. The cause of neuralgia can be:
- blockage or inflammation of the salivary glands;
- sinusitis;
- angina, including protracted;
- purulent and prolonged inflammation of the middle ear (otitis media);
- infectious and bacterial dental diseases.
Sometimes secondary inflammation of the greater ear nerve is found. This occurs with diseases such as sepsis, pneumonia and kidney pathology. Damage to the neural ear node may be one of the manifestations of diabetic polyneuropathy.
Symptoms
The greater ear nerve does a very important job. With neuralgia of the ear, pain can be transmitted to the jaw, but patients more often talk about pain in the ear and around its shell, expanding to the temporal zone. The pain is realized in the form of attacks, with some influences it can become aggravated. Factors that aggravate this pain are hot food, wet weather, stress or emotional stress.
Pain attacks are short-lived and can last from a couple of minutesup to one hour.
Therapy
The basis of therapy is anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics. To relieve inflammation, medicines with ibuprofen or diclofenac are used. They also help relieve pain. In addition, to reduce pain, pain medications with ibuprofen or analgin are indicated. It is important to take antispasmodic drugs. This relieves spasm of the muscles of the auditory tube, which increases the discomfort and accompanies neuralgia.
To improve the patient's well-being and speed up recovery, sedative medication is indicated. They normalize sleep and strengthen the nervous system, which speeds up recovery. Often, therapy is supplemented with B vitamins, vasodilators (for example, with nicotinic acid).
If medical treatment cannot be carried out for any reason, physiotherapy is used - electrophoresis, acupuncture, amplipulse.
What to remember?
It is impossible to use folk healing technologies based on exposure to heat for ear neuralgia. In this case, warming up can provoke the promotion of the inflammatory process. If the pain in the ear occurs suddenly, and there is no general malaise and symptoms of a cold, you should first consult a neurologist.
If discomfort is accompanied by an increase in temperature, you need to go to an appointment with an otolaryngologist. Often neuralgia becomes a constant companion of the patient. Due to the fact that the pain does not go away on its own, and the attacks do not last long, people preferignore discomfort. This approach is wrong, because any ailment should be treated in a timely manner.
Occipital neuralgia
This ailment is a complex of symptoms, including symptoms of damage to the nerves that form the cervical plexus. Occipital neuralgia can develop due to the influence of various etiological factors, which include:
- various intoxications and infections, pathological processes occurring in the cervical segment of the spine - spondylarthrosis, deforming spondylosis;
- tuberculous spondylitis;
- diseases of the cardiac system - hypertension and aneurysm of the vertebral artery in combination with circulatory disorders in the vertebrobasilar system;
- tumor formation localized in the cervical segment of the spinal cord, cranio-spinal zone, posterior fossa;
- pachymeningitis of the cervical segment.
The treatment of occipital neuralgia includes the use of symptomatic drugs. Also here you need to heal the basic ailment.
