Conditions & Diseases: Brain & Nervous System

Trigeminial Neuralgia

See Also:
Trigeminial Neuralgia: Introduction & Overview
Trigeminial Neuralgia: Forms of TN
Trigeminial Neuralgia: Causes & Risk Factors
Trigeminial Neuralgia: Signs, Symptoms & Diagnosis
Trigeminial Neuralgia: Treatment Options

Signs & Symptoms

Symptoms of TN are characterized by sudden, severe, electric shock-like, stabbing pain felt on one side of the jaw or cheek. The severe pain may last for several seconds and may repeat in quick succession through out the day. Episodes of pain may last for days, weeks or even months and then disappear for months or years.

Some patients may experience a tingling or numbing sensation or constant aching before an episode begins.

Various triggers such as shaving, stroking the face, eating, drinking, brushing teeth, talking, putting on makeup, encountering a breeze and smiling may also set off pain (1).

Medical Tests & Diagnosis Methods/Tools

Diagnosis involves no specific tests but rather, a history of symptoms, medical examination and radiological tests such as Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the trigeminal nerve and brain stem may help in identifying the exact location of compression by a blood vessel (artery or vein) (3).

See Also:
Trigeminial Neuralgia: Introduction & Overview
Trigeminial Neuralgia: Forms of TN
Trigeminial Neuralgia: Causes & Risk Factors
Trigeminial Neuralgia: Signs, Symptoms & Diagnosis
Trigeminial Neuralgia: Treatment Options

Article by Kona Vishnu, MS
Medical Writer,
OmniMedicalSearch.com