Trigeminal Neuralgia May Be the Real Cause of Your Unbearable Pain

Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition characterized by sudden, recurrent, lightning-like pains in the patient's face. The name of trigeminal neuralgia comes from the trigeminal nerve, which has three branches and provides sensation to the face. The first of these three branches runs toward the eye, the second toward the cheek, and the third toward the jaw. The most common cause of the disease is compression of the trigeminal nerve in the brain by one of the patient's own blood vessels. Depending on which branch of the nerve is compressed, the location of the pain varies.

It Is Not Only Seen in Older People; It Can Also Occur in Children

In Turkey, 750 people may contract this disease every year. Although it can occur at any age, even in children, it is most common in people aged 50 and over. High blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, and diseases that alter the structure of blood vessels are among the risk factors for the disease. These attacks of pain can be triggered by events such as touching the face, applying face cream, shaving, eating, drinking water, brushing teeth, applying makeup, exposure to wind, laughing, or talking. In some people these pains occur once a week, while in others they may occur as many as 100 times a day. When the pain comes on, patients typically feel an electric shock-like, lightning-like pain. Over time, these pains can become unbearable, and affected people may be unable to speak or even drink water.

Caution Is Needed with Medication During Treatment

First-line treatment for trigeminal neuralgia is drug therapy. Since the type and dose of medication may differ from patient to patient, it is recommended to take medication under the supervision of a physician. Some patients whose pain has subsided with medication stop taking their drugs, saying "I am better now," without consulting their treating physician. Unfortunately, in these patients, after some time the pain may return more severely, and even their previous doses may no longer be effective. We also see that patients whose pain returns over time because their medication dose is no longer sufficient increase their dose on their own, again without consulting their treating physician. In this situation, the medications may cause side effects, and medications taken at incorrect doses can even damage internal organs. For these reasons, medication should always be taken under physician supervision.

When drug therapy brings no benefit, surgery is the only solution!

For patients who do not benefit from drug treatments, there are injection treatments (radiofrequency nerve ablation, balloon compression of the nerve, alcohol injection, etc.), Gamma Knife (radiotherapy), and surgical options. Among all these treatments, the one with the highest success rate while causing the least harm to the nerve is surgery (in experienced hands, the success rate is 95%). Surgery is the first option for every patient who does not benefit from drug therapy and is fit to undergo surgery, and it is regarded worldwide as the "gold standard," i.e., the "most ideal treatment."