Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain. If you have trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face — such as from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup — may trigger a jolt of excruciating pain.
You may initially experience short, mild attacks. But trigeminal neuralgia can progress and cause longer, more-frequent bouts of searing pain. Trigeminal neuralgia affects women more often than men, and it's more likely to occur in people who are older than 50
Causes-- In trigeminal neuralgia, also called tic douloureux, the trigeminal nerve's function is disrupted. Usually, the problem is contact between a normal blood vessel — in this case, an artery or a vein — and the trigeminal nerve at the base of your brain. This contact puts pressure on the nerve and causes it to malfunction.
Trigeminal neuralgia can occur as a result of aging, or it can be related to multiple sclerosis or a similar disorder that damages the myelin sheath protecting certain nerves. Less commonly, trigeminal neuralgia can be caused by a tumor compressing the trigeminal nerve.
Some people may experience trigeminal neuralgia due to a brain lesion or other abnormalities. In other cases, surgical injuries, stroke or facial trauma may be responsible for trigeminal neuralgia
Triggers
A variety of triggers may set off the pain of trigeminal neuralgia, including:
· Shaving
· Touching your face
· Eating
· Drinking
· Brushing your teeth
· Talking
· Putting on makeup
· Encountering a breeze
· Smiling
· Washing your face
Symptoms-- Trigeminal neuralgia symptoms may include one or more of these patterns:
· Episodes of severe, shooting or jabbing pain that may feel like an electric shock
· Spontaneous attacks of pain or attacks triggered by things such as touching the face, chewing, speaking and brushing teeth
· Bouts of pain lasting from a few seconds to several minutes
· Episodes of several attacks lasting days, weeks, months or longer — some people have periods when they experience no pain
· Constant aching, burning feeling that's less intense than the spasm-like pain
· Pain in areas supplied by the trigeminal nerve, including the cheek, jaw, teeth, gums, lips, or less often the eye and forehead
· Pain affecting one side of the face at a time, though may rarely affect both sides of the face
· Pain focused in one spot or spread in a wider pattern
· Attacks that become more frequent and intense over time
HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES
ACONITUM NAPELLS 30-Aconite is an excellent remedy for trigeminal neuralgia. Pains may come on after exposure to or may be worsened by dry cold winds.Pains appear suddenly and are worse on left side.Aconite is prescribed when restlessness and an anxious look is present on face. Here the pains are intense and are accompanied by anguish.
MAGNESIUM PHOSPHORICUM 200-Magnesium phosphoricum is an effective homeopathic medicine for trigeminal neuralgia of right side of the face . The main indicating symptom for its use is that the right side is affected , pain is better by applying warm applications and pressure.
CHAMOMILLA 200-Chamomilla is a top medicine for facial pain with numbness. The person feels that one side of face is red and hot other side being pale and cold.Violent unbearable pains, worse mostly on left side of face extending to the head and temples. The patient feels pain more than it is in actual. Pain worse on touch.
COLOCYNTHIS 30-Colocynthis an excellent remedy for facial neuralgia when pains feel tearing and stitching on the left side.Pains are better from hard pressure, rest and warm applications.
Pain may be worse around the eyes.Attacks may be worse in evening around 10 pm.
BELLADONNA 200-Belladona is very well indicated medicine for trigeminal neuralgia when the face is very red hot and swollen.Here the facial pain is accompanied with twitching. Another important symptom is rush of blood to head.
ARSENICUM ALBUM 30-Arsenicum is another effective remedy for trigeminal neuralgia. Arsenic is prescribed when the pains feel drawing or burning in nature as if from needles. The person is anxious , restless and thirsty. Pains are ameliorated by warm applications and aggravated by cold air, they may also worse after midnight.
SPIGELIA 30-Spigelia is a one of the most effective homeopathic remedies for trigeminal neuralgia when facial pain is on left side.Lightning like pains come on from morning until sunset. The pain is extending to left eye, left chest and left shoulder.Pains are worse from stooping or moving the head , from noise , during perspiration, from cold water and air and after chewing. The person has a flushed red face on the affected side and pains come on at certain times of day.
BRYONIA ALB. 30-Bryonia is another remedy trigeminal neuralgia. Pains are worse with slightest motion, so the person cannot eat or drink. Pains are ameliorated by cold and pressure and lying on the painful side. The person has dry mouth and lips , and is likely very thirsty.
CHINA 30-In China pains are mostly affected on left side. Attacks may come on at the same times every day. The skin on the face is sensitive to any light touch or draft, as well as to motion and can be worse with nose.
PULSATILLA 30-Pulsatilla is very effective for trigeminal neuralgia. Pains are worse on the right side, with a drawing or tearing sensation. They are worse from chewing , warmth and lying on the painful side.The mouth feels dry , but the person does not drink . Pains are ameliorated by cold applications and open air.
VERBASCUM 30-In Verbascum the pains are left sided with a pinching sensation as if parts were being crushed by tongs. Pains brought on by clenching teeth, change of temperature, pressure, open air and motion. Pain extend to the chin and lower jaw.
ALLIUM CEPA 30 and HYPERICUM PERFORATUM 30-These two remedies are prescribed when trigeminal neuralgia is caused by injury. Allium cepa is prescribed when left side is affected . In Hypericum perforatum trigeminal neuralgia is on the right side .
DULCAMARA 30-Dulcamara is prescribed when trigeminal neuralgia is triggered by exposure to wet cold air.
KALI PHOSPHORICUM 30- Kalium phosphoricum is used for right sided facial pains of trigeminal neuralgia. Here the pains get better by cold applications.
HEKLA LAVA 3x and PLANTAGO MAJOR 30—Hekla lava is effective for neuralgia arising after tooth extraction. Plantago major is specific in treating neuralgias arising due to caries of teeth .