WHAT ARE TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA?

Is a condition that causes painful sensations similar to an electric shock on one side of the face. This chronic pain condition affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain. If you have trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face — such as from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup — may trigger a jolt of excruciating pain.

You may initially experience short, mild attacks. But trigeminal neuralgia can progress and cause longer, more-frequent bouts of searing pain. Trigeminal neuralgia affects women more often than men, and it’s more likely to occur in people who are older than 50.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Certain symptoms are contained to the cheek and jaw area, including:

  • Numbness and/or a tingling sensation.

  • Short bursts of severe pain.

  • Regular aches and pains.

Other symptoms include:

  • Short-term jolts of pain; a stabbing or electrical type feeling.

  • Out-of-nowhere episodes brought on by simple activities like chewing or talking.

  • A burning sensation all over one side of the face.

DIAGNOSIS

Doctor may conduct many tests to diagnose trigeminal neuralgia and determine underlying causes for your condition, including:

A neurological examination. Touching and examining parts of your face can help your doctor determine exactly where the pain is occurring and — if you appear to have trigeminal neuralgia — which branches of the trigeminal nerve may be affected. Reflex tests also can help your doctor determine if your symptoms are caused by a compressed nerve or another condition.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Your doctor may order an MRI scan of your head to determine if multiple sclerosis or a tumor is causing trigeminal neuralgia. In some cases, your doctor may inject a dye into a blood vessel to view the arteries and veins and highlight blood flow.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

  • Trigeminal neuralgia symptoms can be treated with a combination of medications, surgery and complementary therapies.

    Medications

    Surgery

    .Balloon compression

    .Glycerol injection rhizotomy

    .Radiofrequency thermal lesioning

    .Microvascular decompression

    .Stereotactic radiosurgery

    Complementary therapies

    There are other approaches you can use with drug therapy, including:

    • Yoga.
    • Creative visualization.
    • Meditation.
    • Aromatherapy.
    • Low-impact exercise.

    Additional therapies that may be helpful include:

    • Acupuncture.
    • Chiropractic.
    • Supportive counseling or therapy.
    • Biofeedback.
    • Vitamin therapy.
    • Nutritional therapy.

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