Trigeminal Neuralgia (Facial Pain) Causes and Treatments

Common descriptions of trigeminal neuralgia include “shock-like sensations,” “stabbing pain,” and, ominously, “the most excruciating pain known to humanity.” Given these descriptions, it’s safe to say that trigeminal neuralgia can have a very serious effect on your quality of life, making finding relief a top priority.

Here at Miami Neuroscience Center, your relief is also our top priority. With board-certified neurosurgeon Dr. Aizik L. Wolf at our helm, our team works tirelessly with patients with trigeminal neuralgia until we find a solution that allows you to live a pain-free life again.

Here, we take a look at trigeminal neuralgia and how we can fight back against this painful nerve disorder.

Trigeminal neuralgia 101

Fortunately, trigeminal neuralgia is only diagnosed in about 15,000 people each year in the United States, with women over 50 representing the largest group.

If you’re one of the unlucky few, you likely already know that the disorder involves one of the 12 cranial nerve sets — the fifth set, to be more precise — called the trigeminal nerves. These nerves are divided into three branches on each side of your face, and together they control sensations in your:

• Eyes
• Eyelids
• Forehead
• Cheeks
• Nostrils
• Lips
• Gums
• Jaws

In most cases, trigeminal neuralgia involves a single branch of these nerves on one side of your face, but the condition can include more than one branch and, in rare cases, affect both sides of your face.

We don’t know exactly what causes trigeminal neuralgia, but the symptoms stem from compression of your trigeminal nerve, usually around the base of your brain. This compression could be due to a nearby blood vessel, a tumor or cyst, an injury, or damage to the nerve due to an autoimmune disorder.

As a result of this compression, you can experience zapping pain in your face that lasts for seconds or even minutes. And the pain can come in waves and be ignited by the slightest vibration or pressure on the nerve.

The unpredictability of the pain, not to mention its severity, can render you a veritable prisoner of trigeminal neuralgia.

Solutions for trigeminal neuralgia

As you’ve likely already discovered, dealing with unpredictable pain is tricky under the best circumstances. Our frontline treatment for trigeminal neuralgia is typically anticonvulsant medications, which can greatly help manage the discomfort.

If medications simply aren’t providing enough relief, we offer two surgical solutions:

1. We can use a Gamma Knife® to radiate the root of your trigeminal nerve, preventing the nerve from sending pain signals.
2. If your trigeminal nerve is compressed by a blood vessel, we can try microvascular decompression, a procedure in which we place a Teflon® pad between the nerve and the blood vessel.

As we mentioned, your relief is important to us, so we work closely with you to find a solution that allows you to break free from the unpredictable pain and discomfort.

For expert diagnosis and treatment of your trigeminal neuralgia, please contact our office in South Miami, Florida, to set up an appointment.