Trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloureux) is a syndrome of a nerve on the sides of the face and neck, called the trigeminal nerve. This chronic condition causes intense facial pain, usually down one side of the face. The pain seldom lasts more than a few seconds or a minute or two per episode in the initial stages. The most common reason causing trigeminal neuralgia is aging or a similar disorder that damages the myelin sheath or due to multiple sclerosis.
Is Trigeminal Neuralgia A Serious Condition?
Although the condition is neither deadly nor fatal yet trigeminal neuralgia disorder and the agony it causes can incapacitate a person’s quality of life. So it is regarded as a serious condition. Moreover typical trigeminal neuralgia is acute and involves brief instances of intense pain, like an electrical shock in one side of the face. This chronic pain comes in episodes and endures for more than an hour or so. The condition starts with mild attack initially but later progresses eventually resulting in longer, frequent and searing pain.
It is often more important to discuss your condition with an experienced healthcare professional who can suggest you with the right therapeutics suitable for your symptom. Some neurologist may recommend for surgery, however, it is very delicate and precise because the disorder is noticed in a very small sensitive area.3
Can Trigeminal Neuralgia Be Reversed?
Trigeminal neuralgia is a delicate disorder and it is generally a challenging situation for the neurologists to treat this condition. Since, the trigeminal nerve is a mixed facial nerve carrying the senses to the different parts of the face, when this is damaged, it can lead to several complications. Medical studies show that around 15000 patients are diagnosed annually and the surprising factor is that the majority of cases have reported having an increased level of hypertension. However, when it is diagnosed in its initial stages, the condition is reversible. On the other hand, when the patient is not diagnosed with the type, it becomes harder to reverse the pain.4
Causes And Risk Factors Of Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia can occur due to the damages to the myelin sheath which is the primary factor for shielding certain nerves. The ultimate reason for trigeminal neuralgia is blood vessels pressing on the root of the trigeminal nerve. This, in turn, forces the nerve to trigger pain that often results in sporadic or jabbing pain. Other factors can be cancer/tumor and aggravated by stress.1
As mentioned earlier, the pain of this disorder is triggered by the trigeminal nerve at the base of the brain. This eventually occurs as a result of
- The patient experiences a stroke that is impacting the lower part of the brain when the trigeminal nerve presses the region
- As a result of some cases of tumors
- One of the most common causes of trigeminal neuralgia is due to the association between the artery or vein with the trigeminal nerve
- Incidents of trauma such as a car accident, blow to the head or neck region and few others
- There can many coincidental cases that triggered trigeminal neuralgia after dental treatments like surgery, extraction, and others
- Multiple sclerosis is one of the leading factors causing this disorder.
Some people encounter this disorder due to a brain mass or other anomaly. It most commonly diagnosed in individuals who are over 50, especially females, however, there are many cases where it was noticed in younger people and men as well.2
Conclusion
When you suffer from this condition, it is generally recommended to keep your medicines nearby and take the medicine as directed by the physician to keep the pain under control.
- What causes trigeminal neuralgia https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Trigeminal-Neuralgia-Fact-Sheet
- Causes and Risk factors of Trigeminal Disorder https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trigeminal-neuralgia/symptoms-causes/syc-20353344
- Is trigeminal neuralgia, a life-threatening condition http://weillcornellbrainandspine.org/condition/trigeminal-neuralgia
- Effective management and reversal of Trigeminal neuralgia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4482565/
Also Read:
- Trigeminal Neuralgia or Prosopalgia or Fothergill’s Disease: Causes, Treatment- Surgery
- How Long Does Trigeminal Neuralgia Last & Ways to Get Rid of it?
- Can Trigeminal Neuralgia Be Caused By Stress & Does It Affect Speech?
- Can Trigeminal Neuralgia Be Fatal & How Painful Is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
- Is Trigeminal Neuralgia Considered A Disability & Is It A Permanent Problem?
- What Triggers Trigeminal Neuralgia & Is It The Most Painful Condition?
