- To keep the nerves from reacting to irritation, you may take anticonvulsant medications.
- You also may take muscle relaxants -- alone or along with anticonvulsants.
- Your doctor may suggest a tricyclic antidepressant to manage your symptoms.
- Some research suggests that Botox shots may be helpful when other medication doesn’t relieve trigeminal neuralgia pain. More research is needed before doctors can prescribe this widely.
What are the treatment options for trigeminal nerve damage?
Normally, anticonvulsive medications are the first treatment choice. Surgery can be an effective option for those who become unresponsive to medications or for those who suffer serious side effects from the medications. The trigeminal nerve is one set of the cranial nerves in the head.
What are the treatment options for nerve irritation?
Medication: Your doctor may prescribe medicines that keep the nerves from reacting to irritation. These drugs are called anticonvulsants. You also may take muscle relaxants -- alone or along with anticonvulsants.
What is the most invasive trigeminal neuralgia surgery?
While MVD is considered to be the most invasive surgery for trigeminal neuralgia, it is also the best procedure for fixing the underlying problem: vascular compression.
What is microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia (TN)?
During microvascular decompression, your doctor makes an incision behind the ear on the side of your pain. Then, through a small hole in your skull, your surgeon moves any arteries that are in contact with the trigeminal nerve away from the nerve, and places a soft cushion between the nerve and the arteries.
Can you heal the trigeminal nerve?
Although trigeminal neuralgia cannot always be cured, there are treatments available to alleviate the debilitating pain. Normally, anticonvulsive medications are the first treatment choice.
How long does it take for trigeminal nerve damage to heal?
The decision to repair a damaged nerve is individual and depends on the impact to the patient's daily life, nature of the injury, and time since the injury occurred, but they can often expect 60-80% of feeling to return within one year and immediate relief from any present pain.
What happens if the trigeminal nerve is damaged?
A trigeminal nerve injury may affect a small area, like part of your gum, or a large area, like one side of your face. The injury can cause problems with chewing and speaking. The extent depends on where the nerve damage occurs. You may have ongoing numbness or facial pain in the area that the nerve serves.
Is trigeminal nerve serious?
Trigeminal neuralgia is the most common cause of facial pain and is diagnosed in approximately 15,000 people per year in the United States. Trigeminal neuralgia pain is exceptionally severe. Although the condition is not life-threatening, the intensity of the pain can be debilitating.
Can you live a normal life with trigeminal neuralgia?
In the vast majority of those cases, they're able to help people diagnosed with the condition go on to live normal, mostly pain-free lives.
Does trigeminal neuralgia always show up on MRI?
Approximately 15% of patients with trigeminal neuralgia (any form) have abnormalities on neuroimaging (computed tomography [CT] scanning and/or magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]). The most common findings are cerebello-pontine angle tumors and multiple sclerosis.
Is trigeminal nerve damage permanent?
The good news is that the vast majority of these peripheral trigeminal nerve injuries undergo spontaneous regeneration. However, some injuries may be permanent with varying degrees of sensory impairment ranging from mild numbness (hypoesthesia) to complete anesthesia.
How do I know if my trigeminal nerve is damaged?
Episodes of severe, shooting or jabbing pain that may feel like an electric shock. Spontaneous attacks of pain or attacks triggered by things such as touching the face, chewing, speaking or brushing teeth. Attacks of pain lasting from a few seconds to several minutes.
What is the surgery for trigeminal neuralgia?
The surgical options for trigeminal neuralgia include peripheral nerve blocks or ablation, gasserian ganglion and retrogasserian ablative (needle) procedures, craniotomy followed by microvascular decompression (MVD), and stereotactic radiosurgery (Gamma Knife®).
What is the newest treatment for trigeminal neuralgia?
Microvascular decompression (MVD) surgery has become the suggested treatment for trigeminal neuralgia that is the result of an impingement on the next be by a blood vessel. It's considered microsurgery, meaning it requires a much smaller incision, surgical site and instruments to perform.
Can trigeminal neuralgia cause a stroke?
Background: There are no reports on the risk of stroke after trigeminal neuralgia (TN).
How do you treat facial nerve damage?
To treat trigeminal neuralgia, your doctor usually will prescribe medications to lessen or block the pain signals sent to your brain. Anticonvulsants. Doctors usually prescribe carbamazepine (Tegretol, Carbatrol, others) for trigeminal neuralgia, and it's been shown to be effective in treating the condition.
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
- Trigeminal neuralgia is often diagnosed based on your symptoms, as there is no specific test that can effectively diagnose the disorder. A doctor will look at the type of pain that occurs, what parts of your face it affects, and what triggers the pain. Your doctor may perform a physical neurological examination, touching parts of your face to determine which branch of the nerve is …
Treatment
- It is very important to treat trigeminal neuralgia as soon as possible. Not only does this vastly improve your quality of life, but it also helps prevent the condition from becoming worse and more difficult to treat. When trigeminal neuralgia is due to another disease or disorder, such as multiple sclerosis, then treatment should target the underlying cause. However, when trigeminal neuralgi…
Risks
- The downside of using AEDs is that their effectiveness can wear off with time. As well, using an AED for lifelong treatment can end up being prohibitively expensive, as the medication will have to be used consistently. Furthermore, AEDs can cause side effects such as sedation, dizziness, or nausea. There is also a potential risk of liver damage from prolonged use.
Overview
- Microvascular decompression is a surgery where blood vessels are moved away from the trigeminal nerve and a pad is placed between them to prevent further pressure or damage. Problematic veins may be removed, and the trigeminal nerve will also be cut in some circumstances. Microvascular decompression is effective at treating trigeminal neuralgia, al...
Epidemiology
- Trigeminal pain can affect anyone, although its more common with specific groups of people. Women and people over the age of 50 are more likely to be affected by the disorder. As well, younger people with multiple sclerosis are at an increased likelihood of complications of trigeminal neuralgia.
Resources
- Iyer, K., 9 Best Home Remedies For Trigeminal Neuralgia, Home Remedy web site; http://www.searchhomeremedy.com/9-best-home-remedies-for-trigeminal-neuralgia/, last accessed December 7, 2015. Karpasea-Jones, J., Alternative Treatments for Trigeminal Neuralgia, EmpowHer web site; http://www.empowher.com/trigeminal-neuralgia/content/alternative-treatm…
Sources
- Trigeminal Neuralgia, MedicineNet.com, February 19, 2015; http://www.medicinenet.com/trigeminal_neuralgia/page2.htm.
Diagnosis
- Your doctor will diagnose trigeminal neuralgia mainly based on your description of the pain, including: 1. Type.Pain related to trigeminal neuralgia is sudden, shock-like and brief. 2. Location.The parts of your face that are affected by pain will tell your doctor if the trigeminal nerve is involved. 3. Triggers.Trigeminal neuralgia-related pain usually is brought on by eating, ta…
Treatment
- Trigeminal neuralgia treatment usually starts with medications, and some people don't need any additional treatment. However, over time, some people with the condition may stop responding to medications, or they may experience unpleasant side effects. For those people, injections or surgery provide other trigeminal neuralgia treatment options. If your condition is due to another …
Alternative Medicine
- Alternative treatments for trigeminal neuralgia generally haven't been as well studied as medications or surgical procedures, so there's often little evidence to support their use. However, some people have found improvement with treatments such as acupuncture, biofeedback, chiropractic, and vitamin or nutritional therapy. Be sure to check with you...
Coping and Support
- Living with trigeminal neuralgia can be difficult. The disorder may affect your interaction with friends and family, your productivity at work, and the overall quality of your life. You may find encouragement and understanding in a support group. Group members often know about the latest treatments and tend to share their own experiences. If you're interested, your doctor may …
Preparing For Your Appointment
- Make an appointment with your primary care provider if you have symptoms common to trigeminal neuralgia. After your initial appointment, you may see a doctor trained in the diagnosis and treatment of brain and nervous system conditions (neurologist).