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Pain Conditions

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition characterized by sudden, severe facial pain that feels like an electric shock, typically affecting one side of the face. It involves the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for transmitting sensory information from the face to the brain. Simple, everyday activities such as brushing teeth, applying makeup, or even light touch can trigger intense bursts of pain.

Initially, individuals may experience brief and mild episodes, but over time the condition can worsen, leading to more frequent and longer-lasting pain attacks. Trigeminal neuralgia is more commonly seen in women and in people over the age of 50.

Symptoms:

  • Sudden episodes of severe, stabbing, or shooting pain that often feels like an electric shock.
  • Pain triggered by routine activities such as touching the face, chewing, talking, or brushing teeth.
  • Attacks lasting from a few seconds to several minutes.
  • Pain accompanied by facial muscle spasms.
  • Recurrent pain episodes that may persist for days, weeks, months, or longer, with pain-free intervals for some individuals.
  • Pain affecting areas served by the trigeminal nerve, including the cheeks, jaw, teeth, gums, or lips; less commonly the eye or forehead.
  • Pain typically occurring on one side of the face.
  • Pain that may be concentrated in one specific area or spread across a broader region.
  • Pain that rarely occurs during sleep.
  • Episodes that increase in frequency and severity over time.

Causes:

Trigeminal Neuralgia is of the most Common type of neuralgia. The pain of TN comes from the trigeminal nerve. This nerve carries the sensations of touch and pain from the face, eyes, sinuses, and mouth to the brain.

TN may be caused by: Multiple sclerosis (MS) or other diseases that damage the protective covering myelin of the nerves
Pressure on the trigeminal nerve from a swollen blood vessel or tumor
Injury to the trigeminal nerve, such as from trauma to the face or from oral or sinus surgery