Find out what trigeminal neuralgia is and how it can be treated, such as with stereotactic Gamma Knife radiosurgery that targets the trigeminal nerve directly.
Experiencing a sudden onset of facial pain can be very challenging, which is why it is important that anyone who has an inexplicable onset of shooting pain on one side of their face seeks medical help immediately.
While there could be several explanations for these symptoms, one of the main reasons behind these painful attacks is trigeminal neuralgia.
Read on to find out more about what this condition is and how it can be treated.
Trigeminal neuralgia causes intense pain on one side of the face that feels similar to an electric shock.
It affects the trigeminal nerve, which goes from near the top of the ear and splits into three, with the nerves going towards the cheek, eye and jaw. This nerve is used to carry signals from the face to the brain.
Everybody has a trigeminal nerve on both sides of their face, but the condition typically only affects patients on one side. Sometimes, patients can experience it on both sides, but this is rare.
The attacks are often short, lasting from between a few seconds to a couple of minutes. They seem to come from nowhere and start and stop suddenly.
Those who suffer from trigeminal neuralgia can experience regular attacks of pain and, in severe cases, patients can have hundreds of incidences of pain every day. However, it is more common to feel the nerve every few days.
Some patients might find they go into remission for a bit, with the pain disappearing for months or even years. However, it does return and the periods of being pain-free might become shorter as time goes on.
What’s more, trigeminal neuralgia tends to worsen, so sufferers will typically experience longer periods of pain.
Trigeminal neuralgia is caused when a blood vessel puts pressure on the nerve. This is typically the superior cerebellar artery pushing on the trigeminal nerve root.
When the nerve is compressed, it affects sensations of pain from the jaw, teeth, mouth and eyes to the brain.
This is the usual cause of trigeminal neuralgia, with 85 per cent of cases caused by this.
However, trigeminal neuralgia can also be the result of having another condition, such as multiple sclerosis, arteriovenous malformation, or tumours pressing against the nerve.
Secondary trigeminal neuralgia occurs in 15 per cent of cases, and these patients often experience pain on both sides of their face, as opposed to just one. They also tend to be younger.
Any injury to the nerve can also trigger the chronic pain condition, so those who have had a stroke or facial trauma are more at risk.
Trigeminal neuralgia is more likely to affect women than men, and those older than 50. Hypertension is also thought to be a risk factor.
Cases under the age of 40 are far and few between, and it is very rare for children to be affected by it.
It is thought that lightly touching your face can trigger a trigeminal neuralgia attack, from washing your face to shaving.
Even putting on make-up, talking, smiling, brushing teeth, eating or drinking can lead to an onset, which makes an attack very difficult for sufferers to avoid.
A light breeze that blows over your face or air conditioning could also set off the pain, making it a life-altering condition as patients never know when an attack will occur.
The good news is that there are treatments for trigeminal neuralgia, including medications, nerve blocks, and different surgeries.
These range from rhizotomy, which involves damaging the root of the nerve and results in some facial sensory loss, to microvascular decompression, which relieves pressure from the blood vessels but is invasive.
A popular alternative to both of these is stereotactic radiosurgery. This involves targeting a beam of radiation at the root of the trigeminal nerve, so it blocks pain signals to the brain.
This is a noninvasive procedure that does not involve incisions or general anaesthetic, and typically provides pain relief for up to a few years.
The Gamma Knife treatment typically takes around 45 minutes, no recovery time is needed, and side effects are minimal.
If you have trigeminal neuralgia and want to discuss Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery to treat the condition, get in touch today.
Centres of Excellence for Stereotactic Radiosurgery treatment of complex Brain Tumours
Want to know more about Gamma Knife Treatment?
Our friendly staff are here to help you, get in touch with them today