Trigeminal Neuralgia

The trigeminal nerve is the largest of the 12 cranial nerves and is made up of three branches. It relays sensations from the face, oral cavity and mucous membranes to the brain. Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) is a neurological condition affecting the trigeminal nerve which causes a severe burning or shock-like pain in the face or mouth for a period of seconds to minutes. The pain typically presents on one side and without warning. It is thought that the condition most often occurs due to nerve injury, damage to the myelin sheath that surrounds nerves and/or compression by a tumor or blood vessel next to the nerve. TN pain can be triggered by common activities like chewing, talking, gentle touch and/or pressure to the face.

“Among migraine subtypes, patients with migraine with aura were at greater risk of trigeminal neuralgia development.”¹