Trigeminal neuralgia?

Written by Gao Yi Shen

Neurosurgery

Updated on December 30, 2024

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Trigeminal neuralgia is not uncommon in clinical settings; pain can often occur due to compression by blood vessels or tumor tissues. In addition, infections that irritate the trigeminal nerve can also cause pain. Therefore, it is essential to make assessments based on the specific conditions.

In clinical practice, the initial treatment for trigeminal neuralgia typically involves oral medications. If there is no significant improvement with oral medications, further comprehensive examinations are necessary. Treatment options may include sphenopalatine ganglion block technique, microvascular decompression surgery, and craniotomy tumor removal surgery, among other measures.

Thus, for trigeminal neuralgia, there are various treatment options available that can potentially provide significant relief.

(The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor)

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Written by Chen Yu Fei

Neurosurgery

48sec

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Should people with trigeminal neuralgia avoid certain foods?

Patients with trigeminal neuralgia need to be cautious about their diet. In daily life, try to avoid oily, spicy, and irritating foods, as these types of foods may trigger an attack of trigeminal neuralgia or make the existing attacks more frequent, thereby causing great pain to the patient. It is recommended to choose a light diet in daily life, low in salt and fat, especially for patients with high blood pressure or diabetes, who need to be more cautious. It may be beneficial to appropriately include some fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet, and it is also suggested to supplement with some multivitamin drugs, which might enhance the effects. If trigeminal neuralgia attacks frequently, it is still recommended to visit a local hospital in a timely manner and consider undergoing microvascular decompression surgery for treatment.

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Written by Jiang Fang Shuai

Neurosurgery

58sec

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Is trigeminal neuralgia dangerous?

Trigeminal neuralgia manifests in the regions of the face covered by the distributions of the trigeminal nerve, featuring recurrent, severe pain. The onset of the disorder is sudden and it resolves quickly as well. The pain is usually described as cutting, electric shock-like, burning, or tearing; it is a stubborn, difficult-to-treat pain, colloquially known as the "king of pain" and "the foremost pain in the world," which reflects the extreme level of pain associated with trigeminal neuralgia. Trigeminal neuralgia is generally not fatal, but it inflicts significant harm on the human body, making sufferers feel as if death would be preferable. It causes substantial psychological and physical obstacles and can even trigger the onset of some cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, potentially leading to sudden death. Thus, trigeminal neuralgia is considered a rather dangerous disease.

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Written by Shu Zhi Qiang

Neurosurgery

53sec

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How is trigeminal neuralgia diagnosed?

Trigeminal neuralgia is divided into primary and secondary types. Primary trigeminal neuralgia refers to cases where no specific cause is apparent. However, with the advancement of modern medicine, doctors have discovered that there is actually a cause for primary trigeminal neuralgia. It is due to the lack of protective myelin sheath over the initial segment of the trigeminal nerve, which gets irritated by the pulsation of nearby small arteries. In such cases, further investigations like brain MRI and cerebral angiography can usually identify the responsible blood vessel. On the other hand, secondary trigeminal neuralgia occurs along with corresponding tumors and inflammation during the progression of the neuralgia, and MRI can assist in diagnosis.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen

Neurosurgery

45sec

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Trigeminal neuralgia prodrome

Trigeminal neuralgia does not have very obvious precursors. This is because trigeminal neuralgia often occurs suddenly, especially with the concept of trigger points. That is to say, once the trigger point is activated, it immediately induces pain without any warning signs. Trigger points vary from person to person, usually located primarily on the cheek. Patients who frequently suffer from trigeminal neuralgia often know these areas. Typically, the pain occurs during activities like brushing teeth with cold water or chewing hard foods such as peanuts or walnuts, triggering severe pain instantly. Thus, in the case of trigeminal neuralgia, there are no precursors, only immediate triggers and immediate pain.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen

Neurosurgery

51sec

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Will trigeminal neuralgia cause facial swelling?

Trigeminal neuralgia, if very severe, can also cause facial swelling. This is because the muscle tissue in the human body has a neurotrophic function, meaning that its nerves do not only play a controlling role but also have a nutritive function. If the pain from the trigeminal neuralgia is continuously severe, this can lead to the loss of the nutritive function, and over time it might cause muscle edema. Therefore, in such cases, it is crucial to promptly determine any changes in the condition and proceed with the necessary examinations and treatments early on to reduce problems of facial swelling caused by severe trigeminal neuralgia pain later. This often appears in the later stages and indicates that the condition has become relatively severe, requiring timely treatment.