Trigeminal neuralgia is often treated with radiosurgery, says Eric Sincoff, MD, from Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point. Learn about the procedure in this video.
Neuralgia
The term neuralgia is used to describe pain that radiates along the path of a nerve. In some cases the cause is unknown, but the condition can be caused by some drugs, irritation from chemicals, kidney problems, diabetes, infections, pressure on nerves or from an injury. Trigeminal neuralgia is the most common type and involves facial pain.
Neuralgia can occur at any age, but it is most common among the elderly.
Neuralgia is not life-threatening, but the pain can be severe. A pain specialist can suggest ways to control the pain.
Recently Answered
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Baptist Health South Florida answeredSee All 7 AnswersTrigeminal neuralgia is pain along the trigeminal, or fifth cranial nerve. The trigeminal nerve, which is divided into three branches, is primarily responsible for sensation in the face but also has a role in motor functions, including chewing and swallowing.
Trigeminal neuralgia most frequently affects people over age 50 and more women than men. An estimated 15,000 to 25,000 cases are diagnosed every year in the United States. Many people are misdiagnosed repeatedly.
While the cause of the nerve damage is often not clear, it is thought to be due to compression of the nerve from blood vessels. People with multiple sclerosis have an increased risk of trigeminal neuralgia as well.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredSee All 2 AnswersTrigeminal neuralgia may go away for a period of time without any treatment, but it usually comes back at some point. It is not uncommon for people suffering from trigeminal neuralgia to go months or even years without experiencing any pain, but eventually, the condition will recur. Luckily, there are several treatment options available to help you manage the pain.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredSee All 4 AnswersPiriformis syndrome is characterized by pain over the piriformis muscle (located in the buttock), with occasional pain referral to the back of the thigh. Other characteristics that may be present include restriction in internal rotation (turning the femur in), and pain/weakness in external rotation (turning the femur out). Piriformis syndrome can lead to compression of the sciatic nerve if the piriformis muscle becomes tight or spasms, which can cause symptoms in the back of the thigh and leg. If you have piriformis syndrome, you should perform a combination of flexibility and strengthening techniques to help your body heal and prevent further injury. Begin by foam rolling your piriformis, adductors, and IT-band. Foam rolling is a form of self-massage that can help relax tight muscles before you stretch them. Hold the tender spots for 30 seconds to allow your muscle time to relax and release the knots that are causing tension in the muscle. After you have completed the foam rolling, statically stretch your adductors and hip flexor complex. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds to allow your muscles time to elongate. Next, perform strengthening exercises for the hips and core. This can be done by performing stability ball bridges and planks to help strengthen the muscles that stabilize the core and pelvis. Also, you can perform lateral tube walking which will strengthen the muscles in your hips that help control your foot and ankle. Lastly, perform a single-leg balance exercise to strengthen the muscles of the entire leg. When performing any single-leg exercise, ensure that you keep the arch of your foot lifted while performing the exercise. Perform 1-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions of each of these exercises.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredSee All 4 Answers
Doctors can generally diagnose trigeminal neuralgia based on your symptoms. A description of your pain, along with the area where it occurs and what seems to trigger it, is probably all the information your doctor will need to make an accurate diagnosis. Sometimes it may also be necessary to rule out other possible causes through testing or further questioning. If you have multiple sclerosis and are experiencing facial pain, your doctor can use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine whether or not the disorder is causing your trigeminal neuralgia.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered
It is possible for some types of neuralgia to clear up without any treatment but it isn't likely. In most cases, neuralgia comes and goes. You may experience long periods without any pain but most of the time it will eventually return. Luckily, most types of neuralgia can be treated. There are several treatment options available and finding the right one will depend on a proper diagnosis.
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UCLA Health answeredMicrovascular decompression (MVD) is a major operation. There have been reports of major complications such as meningitis, stroke or even life-threatening complications and death. In our experience, we've never had anybody have a stroke or a fatal complication, but it's not out of the question, and so it is something that has to be carefully considered.
In our experience, after the four-hour operation, many patients don't even have to go to the ICU. Now, almost half of them leave on the second day after surgery, so many people are having this operation with outstanding relief. -
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See All 2 AnswersSymptoms of piriformis syndrome, a condition involving spasms of the piriformis muscle in the buttock, include leg pain and/or weakness, back pain and buttock pain. The buttock pain tends to radiate down the back of the leg, sometimes all the way down to the foot. Symptoms of piriformis syndrome are similar to those caused by sciatica. Sciatica is inflammation of the sciatic nerve, the large nerve in the lower back that runs down each leg. In some cases, spasms of the piriformis muscle can irritate the sciatic nerve, causing leg pain, numbness and tingling. -
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Piriformis syndrome can be caused by an injury to the pelvis or buttock after a fall or a slip. It can happen in people who are very active but who use their muscles asymmetrically. It also can happen in people with a condition affecting their spine, such as scoliosis, when the stress on the pelvis is asymmetric and causes unusual turns and twists that put the piriformis muscle into spasm. The piriformis muscle is a small muscle located deep within each buttock. In some cases, if the piriformis muscle is inflamed or in spasm, it becomes hard and tight like a ball. It presses on the sciatic nerve and eventually can irritate and damage the nerve. Sometimes in the body, a branch of a nerve or an entire nerve will pass through a muscle. It doesn’t take much muscle inflammation to really irritate a nerve that’s sitting right in the middle of a muscle.
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Dr. David R. Demartini, MD , Ophthalmology, answeredTrigeminal neuralgia involves the trigeminal nerve which brings sensation from the face to the brain. This nerve acts abnormally when the slightest stimulation causes severe pain in this one nerve that can be very debilitating. Most patients try to avoid these slight sensations. Dryness is not a usual stimulating factor but it could be. Make-up or even a slight breeze have been known to cause this neuralgia.