Dr. D. V. Acharya

Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition that affects certain nerves of the face and results in terrible pain. In most of the cases, it is seen that the individual affected with this condition feel like an electric shock passing through the face. It can sometimes be too intense, and the affected one might feel an unbearable pain. One thing that is to be remembered here is that not all types of facial pain would indicate the presence of trigeminal neuralgia. If you feel consistent pain on your face for a long duration of time, it is recommended that you consult a specialist as there may be an underlying condition that needs to be attended.

What could lead to trigeminal neuralgia?
It is extremely important to understand the causes of the condition as it will give you a clear picture of the reasons for facial pain. At the same time, the proper identification of the symptoms is quite crucial to know whether the reason for facial pain is due to trigeminal neuralgia.

This condition starts with the irritation and discomfort of the trigeminal nerve. This might be resulting from a blood vessel pressing on the nerve which damages the protective coating around it known as the myelin sheath. Certain types of diseases like multiple sclerosis can cause injury to the myelin sheath which can result in the symptoms of the trigeminal neuralgia. Moreover, the presence of a tumor or a tangle of the arteries can also create pressure on the nerve giving rise to the pain. Trigeminal neuralgia can also be caused by the injury of the trigeminal nerve due to any accident, surgery or a stroke.

Signs and Symptoms of Trigeminal neuralgia
For the proper identification of the facial pain and to confirm that it is trigeminal neuralgia, you need to look out for the symptoms. The first symptom is brief periods of shooting or stabbing pain in the face. The pain can just be triggered by the brushing of teeth, washing the face or shaving and similar other activities. The attacks of the episodes of the pain happen several times in a day, or it might happen that no pain is experienced throughout the whole week.

The pain is experienced on only one side of the face. The duration of pain ranges from a few seconds to several minutes. In some severe cases, they might turn unbearable, and the episodes of attacks are significantly increased. The pain is also experienced in the cheek, jaws, teeth, lips and even the gums. Thus, it is extremely important to seek medical advice on an immediate basis so that the condition does not further worsen. The doctor would be able to assess the signs and symptoms and give you an insight into the the the causes of facial and decide on the treatment options based on the diagnosis.

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