If you experience persistent facial pain, as if you've been electrocuted, you should suspect this condition.

If you experience excruciating pain in your face, like an electric shock running through your face every time you eat, your quality of life will inevitably suffer. Trigeminal neuralgia is precisely that condition. Trigeminal neuralgia, which is most common in women in their 50s and 60s, is a condition that affects women. We explored its causes and treatments.

 

◇ Occurs when the trigeminal nerve is compressed by a blood vessel The trigeminal nerve is the fifth of twelve cranial nerves. It divides into three branches: the ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular nerves. It functions as a sensory nerve, with each of its three branches responsible for one-third of facial sensations, including pain and touch. The trigeminal nerve derives its name from its three branches.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition characterized by severe pain along one or more of these branches. Pain occurs when the trigeminal nerve is compressed by blood vessels, such as arteries or veins, for a prolonged period, causing the nerve to become sensitive.

 

◇Periodic pain, suspected to be trigeminal neuralgia rather than toothache The most common symptom of trigeminal neuralgia is pain that feels like being stabbed in the face with a knife or receiving an electric shock.

If you experience severe pain when chewing or speaking, along with facial twitching, you may have trigeminal neuralgia. Initially, you may feel a loss of facial sensation or weakness in your chewing muscles, followed by recurring episodes of severe pain lasting from a few seconds to two minutes.

Trigeminal neuralgia is sometimes mistaken for toothache. While the pain can be similar in location, toothache is often worse during sleep and intermittent. Trigeminal neuralgia, on the other hand, recur periodically, lasting from seconds to minutes, and the pain persists even after dental treatment.

 

◇ Eliminating the root cause with 'microvascular decompression' Treatment for trigeminal neuralgia is broadly divided into medication, surgical procedures, and surgery. Medication is often the initial treatment, while surgical procedures such as radiofrequency trigeminal rhizotomy and balloon compression may be performed. Gamma Knife radiosurgery, which irradiates the trigeminal nerve with high-intensity radiation, is also available. Microvascular decompression (MVD) is known as the primary treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. This procedure involves making a 4-5cm incision behind the ear, inserting a surgical sponge between the trigeminal nerve and a cerebral blood vessel, and then separating the nerve and blood vessel. MVD is a treatment that addresses the root cause of trigeminal neuralgia, is highly effective, and helps prevent recurrence. However, because it involves cranial nerves, thorough consultation with a medical professional is essential before surgery, and treatment should be performed by an experienced medical professional.

 

Meanwhile, in less than 10% of cases of trigeminal neuralgia, the trigeminal nerve is damaged by specific conditions, such as brain tumors or cerebral aneurysms. Therefore, it is important to first identify the exact cause, using MRI scans or other methods.

 

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Is this tertiary pain?

I had a headache yesterday and it was hard until this morning...

This is really a headache

trigeminal neuralgia

I'm on the 2nd and 3rd side

I'm very uncomfortable right now