Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition in which a sensation carrying nerve of the face is affected. These patients experience severe pain on one of the side of the face. It is usually unilateral, that is affecting one side of the face, but it could be bilateral as well.
Even mild stimulation of the face like washing the face, blow of AC air, brushing teeth may trigger severe pain.
Pain may occur over the jaw (mandibular neuralgia), in the middle of the face (maxillary neuralgia), or maybe around and above the eye (ophthalmic neuralgia). It can in fact present as a combination of the above patterns.
Causes:
-The presence of blood vessels around the trigeminal ganglion.
-Idiopathic
-Tumour around the trigeminal ganglion.
Diagnosis:
MRI of the brain with trigeminal sequence usually helps in the diagnosis.
Treatment:
Treatment consist of medication, Interventional techniques and sometimes is surgical.
Interventional Techniques:
Radiofrequency ablation of the trigeminal ganglion is preferred when there are no blood vessels in close vicinity of the trigeminal ganglion, when patient is not tolerating drugs, when the patient is not willing to undergo surgery, and if the pain persists even after a surgery.
Usually this is a daycare procedure in which using a CT scan machine or x-ray machine, the injection is given at the affected trigeminal nerve branch and radiofrequency ablation is done.
Other therapies:
Gamma knife therapy
Surgery: microvascular decompression.
At Painex we offer 100% non-surgical treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. Our treatment for trigeminal nerve pain includes medication and interventional techniques. The interventional procedures are performed under X-ray or CT guidance by our highly specialized pain specialist doctors. Contact now and get consultation from our experts.