Neuralgia is a type of pain that pierces sharply and seems to flash by at the most inopportune moment. It can be caused by a variety of factors, from poor posture and injuries to herpes or even tumors.
An experienced neurologist explains on Radio 1: "The most common cause is injury or pinched nerve roots. For example, a broken rib or poor posture can put pressure on a nerve. Another cause is herpes, which damages the nerve walls. And if there's a tumor or vascular anomaly inside, it can also begin to press—anything that causes pressure and interferes with normal nerve function."
Sometimes pain occurs even where you least expect it—a person has had an arm or leg amputated and suddenly experiences "phantom" pain in the absence of the limb. Or inflammation near the nerves creates a mass that literally presses on them.
He emphasizes the importance of finding and eliminating the source of the pain, not just "numbing" it with painkillers. Because simply numbing the sensation can miss something serious, and the situation may worsen.
How can you tell if it's neuralgia and not the heart? It's helpful to know three simple signs:
The pain of a heart attack spreads throughout the chest, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact location. With neuralgia, the pain is localized and intensifies with gentle pressure.
Unrelenting pain near the heart lasts more than half an hour, while a heart attack usually doesn't last long. Moreover, if the pain persists for too long, damage to the heart may develop.
Also, with heart problems, chest discomfort can occur in the cold or after drinking cold drinks. Sometimes, heart pain even resembles stomach problems, as if you've been poisoned.