Is cold compress effective for trigeminal neuralgia?

Written by Jiang Fang Shuai

Neurosurgery

Updated on September 19, 2024

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Trigeminal neuralgia is a type of intense recurring pain in the facial areas distributed by the trigeminal nerve. When an attack occurs, the pain is unbearable for the patient. Clinically, besides immediately taking medication or opting for surgical treatments after stabilization, applying a cold compress can also alleviate symptoms. Placing a cold towel on the painful facial areas can relieve spasms and pain, improve local swelling, raise the pain threshold, and subsequently reduce the sensation of pain.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen

Neurosurgery

52sec

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Trigeminal neuralgia should register for which department?

The department for registering trigeminal neuralgia depends on the distribution of departments in the local hospital. Most commonly, registration is done in the department of functional neurosurgery. However, different hospitals may have different levels of specialization and may employ varying treatment methods which require different departments. For instance, initially, one can register at the department of neurosurgery for oral medication adjustment, usually with carbamazepine. If there is no significant improvement later on, one may register with the department of pain management or anesthesiology for nerve block treatment. Due to the detailed specialization in some hospitals, it might also be necessary to consult other departments. If there is still no effective outcome, it is necessary to register at the department of neurosurgery for surgical treatment to fundamentally address the disease.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei

Neurosurgery

40sec

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Early manifestations of trigeminal neuralgia

For patients with trigeminal neuralgia, the initial symptoms mainly include sudden onset of intense pain that stops abruptly. The nature of the pain is generally sharp, resembling sharp stabbing or knife-like pain. In most cases, trigger points are easily formed on the face, commonly appearing around the bilateral nostrils and corners of the mouth as fixed trigger points. Touching these trigger points can easily trigger an attack of trigeminal neuralgia, which lasts for a relatively short duration, typically from a few seconds to several seconds. In most cases, attacks are more likely to be triggered when the patient is tired, fatigued, or under mental stress.

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Written by Guo Zhi Fei

Neurosurgery

45sec

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Trigeminal neuralgia is divided into several branches.

Trigeminal neuralgia is anatomically divided into three branches: the first branch is the ophthalmic branch, the second branch is the maxillary branch, and the third branch is the mandibular branch. The scope of pain can be used to roughly determine which branch is affected. Generally, pain located in the forehead area is caused by the first branch, the ophthalmic branch. Pain in the area from the tip of the nose to the lips is caused by the second branch, the maxillary branch. Pain from the lips to the angle of the jaw is caused by the third branch, the mandibular branch. Therefore, we can understand which branch is in pain by the distribution area and scope of the trigeminal neuralgia.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei

Neurosurgery

49sec

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How is trigeminal neuralgia diagnosed?

The diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia is mainly based on the patient's clinical symptoms. It is mostly characterized by transient pain around the bilateral nasal root and corners of the mouth. There are generally no obvious prodromal symptoms before an attack; the pain occurs suddenly and stops suddenly. The nature of the pain is quite sharp, resembling knife-like cuts or a burning stabbing sensation. There are generally no significant signs before an onset, and the duration of an attack varies, lasting from a few seconds to several seconds, and even up to one or two minutes. Most patients experience sudden attacks and sudden cessation. Additionally, recurrent attacks can lead to severe adverse symptoms in patients and may even cause psychosomatic illnesses.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei

Neurosurgery

46sec

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How to relieve trigeminal neuralgia

For patients with trigeminal neuralgia, there are many methods to achieve pain relief. For example, in the early stages of the disease, treatment can be administered through oral medication. Taking appropriate medications can effectively relieve pain and also reduce the frequency and occurrence of trigeminal neuralgia attacks. At the same time, some physical therapies such as massage, tuina, physiotherapy, acupuncture, and electrotherapy can significantly alleviate the pain. Of course, to achieve complete cure, surgical methods are recommended for treatment. We generally advise patients to undergo microvascular decompression surgery, through which the vast majority of patients can achieve good therapeutic effects.