Glossopharyngeal neuralgia in a child. A diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma.

A 13-year-old boy had a seven-year history of typical otalgic glossopharyngeal neuralgia, which was relatively unresponsive to medical treatment. Diagnosis was confounded by his young age and the previously unknown onset of glossopharyngeal neuralgia before the age of 16 years. A trigger point was present in the right tonsillar area, anesthesia of which abolished his pain entirely, albeit temporarily. Cervical section of the right glossopharyngeal nerve and its tympanic branch resulted in complete relief to date (13 months).