Hong Kong Neurosurgical Associates 香港腦神經外科顧問中心
Tel: +(852) 2522 0381 Email: [email protected] Suite 1222, Bank of America Tower, 10, Harcourt Road, Central, Hong Kong
Trigeminal neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that
affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from
your face to your brain. In this condition, even mild
stimulation of your face — such as brushing your teeth or
putting on makeup — may trigger a jolt of excruciating
pain. These pain attacks are often described as severe,
shooting or jabbing pain that may feel like an electric
shock, over the areas supplied by the branches of the
trigeminal nerve. Pain affects mainly one side of the face,
though in rare cases, it can affect both sides of the face.
Usually, the problem is due to the contact between a
normal blood vessel — either an artery or a vein —
and the trigeminal nerve at the base of your brain.
This contact irritates the nerve and causes it to
malfunction.
Medications and surgery are common strategies of treatment. Commonly experienced
side effects of drug therapy includes dizziness, drowsiness, forgetfulness,
unsteadiness, and nausea. In addition, drugs do not always remain effective over time,
so higher and higher doses or a greater number of medications taken concurrently may
be required. Surgical options for trigeminal neuralgia include microvascular
decompression, stereotactic radiosurgery and radiofrequency thermal lesioning. These
surgical options carry different pain-relieve rate and recurrence rate, your doctor
should be consulted for further details.