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Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensations from the face to the brain. This condition is more common in women over the age of 50 and can cause severe facial pain, often triggered by everyday activities like chewing, speaking, or brushing teeth. Typically, it affects only one side of the face.

Symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia

People with trigeminal neuralgia may experience a variety of symptoms, including:

  • Pain areas: Ear, eye, forehead, jaw, mouth, or overall facial pain
  • Sensory issues: Hypersensitivity, pins and needles, burning sensations, or discomfort with light touch
  • Other symptoms: Muscle spasms, numbness in the face, toothache, or nerve injury

Pain from trigeminal neuralgia can range from mild to severe and may feel like sudden, sharp, or electric shock-like jolts. Attacks can be spontaneous or triggered by activities such as eating, talking, or even wind on the face.

Causes of Trigeminal Neuralgia

It is widely believed that trigeminal neuralgia is caused by the deterioration of the protective sheath around the trigeminal nerve, disrupting normal nerve signals and causing pain. This deterioration can result from several factors, including:

  • Aging
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Tumors
  • Vascular compression (abnormal vein or artery pressing on the nerve)

Other causes of facial pain, such as an infected tooth, sinus infections, shingles, or previous nerve injury, may mimic trigeminal neuralgia but have different underlying causes.

Treatment Options

A variety of treatment options are available for trigeminal neuralgia, including:

  • Medications to control pain
  • Injections and nerve blocks
  • Surgery to relieve pressure on the nerve
  • Radiation therapy for more severe cases

Typically, medication is the first line of treatment. If medications fail or cause intolerable side effects, other procedures such as surgical interventions or needle procedures may be considered. At Montgomery Pain Institute, we work with patients to create personalized treatment plans to manage trigeminal neuralgia and improve quality of life.

Possible Treatments

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