Referred Otalgia

Question 1

what cranial nerves are involved in referred otalgia

Answer 1

Trigeminal(CN V), Facial(CN VII), Glossopharyngeal(CN IX), Vagus(CN X)

Question 2

what branch of the trigeminal nerve can be involved in referred otalgia

Answer 2

CN V2, the auriculo-temporal branch

Question 3

what different pathologies can cause referred otalgia via CN V2

Answer 3

lower mandibular pathology, temporo-mandibular joint lesions, infection/inflammation under anterior 2/3rds of tongue, stress(tooth grinding), salivary gland disease

Question 4

what different pathologies can cause referred otalgia via CN VII

Answer 4

Geniculate herpes/Ramsay Hunt(linked to Bells palsy), sphenoid or ethmoidal pathology, nasal pathology

Question 5

what different pathologies can cause referred otalgia via CN IX

Answer 5

tonsillitis or quinsy, post-tonsillectomy, carcinoma at base of tongue(posterior 1/3) or tonsil, neuralgia of glossopharyngeal nerve

Question 6

what different pathologies can cause referred otalgia via CN X

Answer 6

foreign body or carcinoma in piriform fossa, carcinoma of larynx, post-cricoid carcinoma, sepsis(piriform abscess)

Question 7

what branch of the Vagus nerve can be involved in referred otalgia

Answer 7

auricular branch of CN X

Question 8

what nerves of the cervical spine can be involved in referred otalgia

Answer 8

great auricular nerve(C2/3) and lesser occipital nerve(C3)

Question 9

what pathologies can cause referred otalgia via C2/3

Answer 9

cervical neuritis, herpes zoster

Question 10

what pathologies can cause referred otalgia via C3

Answer 10

cervical spondylosis, cervical neuritis, herpes zoster