Trigeminal Neuralgia

Sudden, severe attacks of facial pain that radiate from your jaw might make you book an emergency dental appointment. If your teeth are OK, then the cause could be trigeminal neuralgia. Dr. Bernadette Nazario-Lopez, MD, PharmD, board certified neurologist and headache specialist, at Migraine and Headache Center of Florida in Altamonte Springs, Florida, has extensive expertise in diagnosing and treating trigeminal neuralgia. She can restore quality of life to patients affected by this disabling nerve disorder. Call Migraine and Headache Center of Florida today or book an appointment online for expert trigeminal neuralgia treatment.

What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia or tic douloureux is a disabling pain condition. Patients experience sudden, severe attacks of burning or shocklike pain in their faces due to a problem with the trigeminal nerve.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic (long-term) condition. However, effective treatments are available at Migraine and Headache Center of Florida.

What are the symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia causes sudden attacks of extreme facial pain that might last a few seconds or up to a couple of minutes. Patients often experience several attacks each day, with the pain disappearing as quickly as it came.

Trigeminal neuralgia pain is similar to the feeling of an electric shock. Usually, it affects just one side of your face. Pain tends to be in the jaw but can also radiate to the:

• Teeth
• Gums
• Lips
• Tongue
• Throat
• Cheek
• Ear
• Nose
• Eye
• Forehead

Trigeminal neuralgia pain tends to get worse with time. Attacks come more frequently, last longer, and become more severe. Conservative treatments may help ease symptoms but might lose their effectiveness with time.

What causes Trigeminal Neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia develops if the trigeminal nerve sends pain signals to the brain when it doesn’t need to. Neurologists believe this happens when the insulating tissue that protects the nerve degrades, effectively meaning the nerve short circuits.

Trigeminal neuralgia's most common cause is compression of a blood vessel. Other causes of trigeminal neuralgia may include multiple sclerosis, post-stroke, tumor pressing on the trigeminal nerve, post-infectious, trauma, among other. 

What are potential triggers of Trigeminal Neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia pain often gets triggered by everyday actions like:

• Brushing your teeth
• Talking and smiling
• Eating and drinking
• Touching your face
• Shaving or washing your face

How is trigeminal neuralgia diagnosed?

Dr. Nazario-Lopez needs to collect as much information about your symptoms as possible to make a diagnosis. A neurologic exam may help determine where the pain is coming from. She might order an MRI of your brain to make sure that nothing else is causing your symptoms.

How is trigeminal neuralgia treated?

Trigeminal neuralgia treatments may  include:

• Antiseizure medicines like carbamazepine or similar medications 
• Muscle-relaxing medicines like baclofen
• Trigeminal nerve blocks for temporary relief

If these treatments do not work, Dr. Nazario-Lopez, may also refer you to neurosurgery for microdecompression surgery if a blood vessel is compressing your trigeminal nerve. Other surgical options may include rhizotomy and Gamma Knife surgery.

Call Migraine and Headache Center of Florida today or book an appointment online for trigeminal neuralgia symptom relief.