07 Jun What Is Trigeminal Neuralgia And Is There any Treatment?

Imagine you are brushing your teeth, and all of a sudden feel intense searing pain, worse than anything you have ever felt before.  This is the reality of people who are suffering from trigeminal neuralgia.  Trigeminal neuralgia is a rare condition that primarily affects people over 50 years of age.  It is considered one of the most painful conditions a person can experience and can be very difficult to diagnose since its symptoms overlap those of other conditions.  Unfortunately, there is currently no known cure for trigeminal neuralgia.  Patients who develop the condition typically rely on treatment of painful symptoms, but will always live with the condition.

            The trigeminal nerve is in charge of carrying information from your face to your brain.  Trigeminal neuralgia may start with small and short bouts of pain.  But it typically increases to longer and more frequent bouts of pain.  Little things like talking, chewing, applying makeup, and brushing your teeth can trigger the pain.  As a result, people suffering from trigeminal neuralgia tend to distance themselves from social interaction since the smallest stimulus can lead to excruciating pain.  This condition can make people feel hopeless and lead to severe depression.

            While patients may feel hopeless upon receiving a trigeminal nerve diagnosis, it does not mean patients are going to live a life of pain.  Physicians are typically able to find ways to manage the pain associated with the condition through a variety of means.  Various medications such as anticonvulsants, antispasmodic agents, and botox injections have been found to help reduce the amount of pain trigeminal neuralgia patients feel.  If medication does not work, surgery may be recommended.  Surgery for trigeminal neuralgia consists of relocating or removing blood vessels that are in direct contact with the trigeminal nerve, or utilizing a gamma knife to damage the nerve, thus reducing the amount of pain felt. 

            Trigeminal neuralgia is a very painful condition.  While there are treatments that exist to help ease pain, they are not always effective and they do not provide trigeminal neuralgia patients with a cure.  However, there have recently been studies into the effectiveness of stem cell therapy in helping trigeminal neuralgia patients.  There is hope that stem cells will be able to harness the body’s natural healing power to repair the damage to the trigeminal nerve, thus reducing or removing the associated pain.

            Trigeminal neuralgia causes one of the worst pains a person can experience.  It is difficult to determine the exact cause.  Sometimes patients may brush their teeth without the pain, and other times brushing teeth may lead to excruciating pain.  As a result, patients who suffer from trigeminal neuralgia tend to withdraw from social interaction and may suffer from mental health problems as a result of the condition.  While there are treatments that exist and may help lessen pain, they are not a cure and require the patient to undergo surgery or take medication for the rest of their lives.  Fortunately, Phoenix stem cell treatment center has shown to be effective in helping those patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia.