Superior Laryngeal Nerve Neuralgia: Case Series and Review of Anterior Neck Pain Syndromes

Abstract

Superior laryngeal nerve neuralgia (SLNN) is an anterior neck pain syndrome that is underrecognized and, as a result, is often misdiagnosed. We present a series of patients who were diagnosed with and subsequently treated for SLNN. Nineteen patients were treated with oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and/or a therapeutic neck injection with 2% lidocaine and 40% triamcinolone acetonide. All patients completed a visual analog scale (VAS) to rate the level of pain before and after treatment. Four patients rated their pain as mild, 14 as moderate, and 1 as severe according to the VAS. Of the 19 patients, 8 chose to proceed with a 2-week course of NSAIDs and only 1 of them had complete resolution of their symptoms. A total of 18 patients underwent therapeutic neck injections, with a complete response to injection therapy in 10 patients. Five patients described a minimal residual foreign body sensation and 3 patients complained of mild residual pain. In this study, we found that therapeutic neck injections are effective not only in confirming the diagnosis but also in treating pain.