Trigeminal Neuralgia & Facial Nerve Disorders

Our team will ask you to describe your pain symptoms, concentrating on the type of pain, its location and whether an event triggered it. Symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia may include:  

• Attacks that become more frequent and intense over time 
• Acute or lasting pain that may feel electric, shooting or jabbing 
• Spontaneous attacks that may be triggered by touching the face 
• Pain affecting a single spot or side of your face 
• Widespread facial pain

Though there is no single test to diagnose trigeminal neuralgia, a neurological exam and/or MRI can help rule out underlying conditions that may be causing symptoms. Some causes of trigeminal neuralgia include:  

• Contact between a blood vessel and the trigeminal nerve that causes the nerve to malfunction 
• Degeneration, as a result of aging 
• Multiple sclerosis or a similar disorder  
• Tumor compressing the trigeminal nerve

Trigeminal neuralgia typically affects women more often than men and people who are older than 50.

Based on your symptoms, we will create a treatment plan to address the root cause of your symptoms and offer you more pain-free days.

What treatments are available for trigeminal neuralgia?

Treatment for primary trigeminal neuralgia depends on the severity of your symptoms and may include medications, injections or surgery. If your symptoms are due to another condition, such as multiple sclerosis, treatment will focus on that disease to reduce symptoms and improve your quality of life.

The most common course of treatment for trigeminal neuralgia is microvascular decompression (MVD). By placing a Teflon pledget between the trigeminal nerve and offending vessel, resulting in significant pain relief and long-term success.