Trigeminal Neuralgia - Understanding the Treatment Options!

Trigeminal neuralgia can be best described as an ongoing condition that affects a group of nerves called the fifth cranial nerve which is responsible for sensation in the face. Individuals suffering from this pain say that the pain feels like that of an electric shock and sometimes it becomes unbearably severe. According to medical experts, the trigeminal neuralgia is the acutest pain that an individual can suffer from where the pain mostly affects the lower portion of the face along with the jaw and may also affect the lips, nose, ears and eyes. Trigeminal neuralgia is thought to affect over 1 million people across the world and 1 person in every 15,000 people suffers from this disease.

Understanding the causes of trigeminal neuralgia
The human face comprises of two trigeminal nerves, one on each side of the face and each splits into 3 branches which aid in transmitting sensations of pain as well as a touch from the teeth, mouth, and face to the brain. Most cases of trigeminal neuralgia are said to be triggered by the blood vessels, which sometimes presses the root of the trigeminal nerve. This is known to make the nerve transmit signals which lead to the feeling of stabbing and throbbing pain in the facial regions.

The exertion of pressure on the nerves is mostly caused by multiple sclerosis and tumor and some other suspected causes of trigeminal neuralgia include, pressing of the blood vessel against the root of the trigeminal nerve, demyelization of the trigeminal nerves during the advanced stages of multiple sclerosis, physical damage to the nerve caused by an injury, a surgical procedure or a severe infection, although rare, pressing of a tumor against the trigeminal nerve may also cause it and family history and genetic conditions are also responsible for causing trigeminal neuralgia

Diagnosing trigeminal neuralgia:
If the primary health care provider feels that the symptoms of facial pain are indicative of trigeminal neuralgia, then the patient’s face is required to be examined and evaluated more carefully to detect the affected parts with precision. Other conditions which may have similar symptoms including tooth problems and sinusitis would be eliminated first. Then an MRI scan would be performed which would help understand whether the trigeminal neuralgia is triggered by some underlying medical issues. But the MRI would not be able to reveal the reasons behind the irritation of the nerve unless tumor or multiple sclerosis is the cause. This is because it is not possible to visualize the blood vessel that stands next to the nerve root.

Getting the right treatment for trigeminal neuralgia:

1. Interventional Treatments: 
   • Percutaneous Radiofrequency(RF) Ablation of Gasserian Ganglion 
   • Percutaneous Glycerol Rhizolysis 
   • Percutaneous Baloon Micro compression 
2. Surgical Microvascular Decompression (MVD) 
3. Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiation Therapy

If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a pain management specialist.