Trigeminal neuralgia, also known as tic douloureux, is frequently said to as the most agonizing pain known to mankind. The discomfort usually affects the lower cheek and jaw, but it can also affect the area around the nose and above the eye.
It is often confined to one side of
the face. The discomfort can be caused by anything as simple and insignificant
as brushing your teeth, eating, or being outside in the wind. Trigeminal
neuralgia attacks may begin mild and brief, but if left untreated, they can
develop over time.
Who Can Suffer from This?
Every year, around 150,000 people are
diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia (TN). While the condition can arise at any
age, persons over the age of 50 are more likely to suffer from it. According to
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), TN is
twice as frequent in women as in males.
Causes of Trigeminal Neuralgia:
The actual cause of TN is unknown,
however, the discomfort associated with it is caused by nerve irritation.
There are two kinds of TN: main TN
and secondary TN.
Compression of the nerve, often at
the base of the skull where the brain joins the spinal cord, has been
associated with primary trigeminal neuralgia. This is generally caused by a
healthy artery or vein coming into touch with the trigeminal nerve at the base
of the brain. This puts pressure on the nerve when it reaches the brain,
causing it to misfire.
Secondary TN is induced by nerve
pressure produced by a tumor, MS, a cyst, a face injury, or another medical
disease that destroys the myelin sheaths.
Symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia:
The majority of patients say that
their pain comes suddenly and apparently out of nowhere. Other individuals
claim that their pain was caused by a vehicle accident, a hit to the face, or
dental procedures.
In the case of dental procedures, it
is more likely that the condition was already present and that the initial
symptoms were prompted by the disease. Because pain is frequently felt
throughout the upper or lower jaw, many patients mistakenly believe they have a
tooth abscess.
The pain around the eyes, lips, nose,
jaw, forehead, and scalp is very acute, throbbing, intermittent, scorching, or
shock-like.
TN seems to come and go in cycles.
Patients sometimes experience extended periods of frequent episodes followed by
weeks, months, or even years of little or no pain.
If you are suffering from such pain
and want to get treated fast, connect with the experts in the field at Jackson Neurosurgery Clinic.
Original Source: Trigeminal Neuralgia – Symptoms & Causes
