Auriculo-temporal branch of the trigeminal nerve

• Lower mandibular pathology
  • Dental abscess
  • Dental caries
  • Impacted molar teeth
• Temporomandibular joint lesions - e.g. Costen's syndrome
• Infection/inflammation on the anterior 2/3 tongue - piercings
• Stress - tooth grinding
• Salivary gland disease
  • Infection - viral (mumps), bacterial
  • Stones
  • Neoplasm

Sensory branch of the facial nerve (CN VII)

• Geniculate herpes/Ramsay Hunt syndrome linked to facial palsy
• Sphenoid or ethmoidal sinus pathology - infection, neoplasm
• Nasal pathology - including foreign bodies

Tympanic branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)

• Tonsillitis or quinsy
• Post-tonsillectomy
• Carcinoma at the base (posterior 1/3) of the tongue or tonsil
• Neuralgia of the glossopharygeal nerve

Cranial nerves (CN X)

• Foreign body in piriform fossa - fishbones
• Carcinoma of the piriform fossa
• Carcinoma of the larynx
• Post-cricoid carcinoma