Ask Dr. Nick
On today’s episode, Dr. Nick talks about trigeminal neuralgia diagnosis and treatment options. Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition affecting the trigeminal nerve in the face. The patient feels paroxysmal pain in the face in the distribution of the nerve that is normally produced by touching of the face. This could be caused by putting on makeup, cold windy air, or even a face mask. The trigeminal nerve has three divisions that distribute the upper, middle, and lower portions of the face, and the most commonly affected divisions are the middle (2nd) and lower (3rd). Direct compression to the nerve from an artery or tumor could be the cause, or other problems within the brain could be causing the pain including multiple sclerosis or other inflammatory conditions. Most treatment options are medications or surgery that come with side effects. Check out the video for more in depth information on the pathology of trigeminal neuralgia and how to treat it conservatively!
Maarbjerg S, Di Stefano G, Bendtsen L, Cruccu G. Trigeminal neuralgia – diagnosis and treatment. Cephalalgia. 2017 Jun;37(7):648-657.
