Trigeminal neuralgia is a disease characterized by severe pain in which the fifth of 12 pairs of nerves, the “trigeminal nerve”, is involved. The trigeminal nerve is the nerve that allows us to feel the sensations of heat, cold, pain and touch in half of the face. It has three branches that go to the lower jaw, upper jaw and eye area. The first of these is the nerves around the eyes, the second is in the upper jaw and cheek area, and the third is the lower jaw, and these nerves transmit to the brain. In addition, the third nerve branch controls the movements of the masticatory muscles. In trigeminal neuralgia, the third and second nerve branches are mostly involved, and it occurs in pain in which more than one branch is involved at the same time. It usually occurs after the age of 30 and mostly in women.
The most common cause of trigeminal neuralgia is structural differences and disorders in the vascular formations adjacent to the nerve. In addition, differences in bone structure, benign or malignant masses in the head may also be the cause of trigeminal neuralgia. It is a serious disorder that needs to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible, as it can make the patient unable to perform daily activities and even vital functions.
The pain is in the form of short-term (from a few seconds to one to two minutes), repetitive, electric shock in the facial region where the trigeminal nerve spreads. Usually, there are points on the outside of the face, inside the mouth, that trigger the onset of pain. For this reason, the patient does not touch these areas; avoids functions such as washing the face, brushing teeth, or even eating. Actions such as shaving, putting on makeup, talking, smiling, and eating become more difficult. Pain attacks become more severe and more frequent over time.
Trigeminal neuralgia is a disease that does not go away even though it has a cure, and its treatment takes quite a long time. In cases where drug therapy is not sufficient in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, surgical treatment can be applied. If the patient is over 50 years old, open surgery is usually performed.
Interventional treatment methods are also applied in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Interventional treatment methods such as percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation therapy, glycerol injection around the trigeminal nerve, and percutaneous balloon therapy can be applied. Apart from these, alternative treatment methods such as rehabilitation treatments, acupuncture therapy, electrical stimulation (tens) therapy (stimulation of nerves with electric current), massage therapy can also be applied in the treatment of facial neuralgia.
