What is it?

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) is a rare condition that can cause pain in the throat, the back of the tongue or the middle ear. The glossopharyngeal nerve is a cranial nerve that serves all the areas just mentioned. The pain is usually described as sharp, stabbing or shooting pain. The episodes typically are intermittent, from a few seconds to a few days. The pain can be triggered by cold liquids, chewing, swallowing, sneezing, coughing, clearing the throat or touching the gums. The cause for neuralgia is usually unknown but sometimes it may be caused by a trauma, surgical procedure, infections, multiple sclerosis, tumors, blood vessels near the brainstem or an elongated styloid process.