THE FOLLOWING ARE SYMPTOMS AND CONDITIONS COMMONLY TREATED BY THE WASHINGTON ACUPUNCTURE CENTER. NEURALGIA AND NEURITIS Neuralgia is sharp, stabbing, paroxysmal pain along the course of a nerve. It may not be associated with demonstrable structural changes in the nerve, but there is usually an area of tenderness over the peripheral terminal of the nerve which may be a trigger zone. Even light touch or temperature change of such areas may initiate a severe attack of the pain. The trigeminal nerve supplying the face may become involved in a neuralgia called "tick douloureux" which often persists for years despite medications and surgical treatment. Other nerves may become similarly involved and resistant to treatment. Tegretol and other drugs prescribed for neuralgia have potentially lethal side effects and relieve the pain temporarily if at all. Surgical procedures are hazardous and may result in paralysis of facial or other muscles. Neuritis is a lesion of nerve tissue, degenerative or inflammatory. This may cause pain, hypersensitivity, numbness, paresthesia, paralysis, muscular atrophy and loss of reflexes. Neuritis may result from injury, infection or metabolic disorders, such as diabetes or pernicious anemia. Such conditions should be diagnosed and treated before acupuncture is used. Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for both neuralgia and neuritis. It should be accompanied by appropriate nutritional treatment. next