Treatment options for trigeminal neuralgia include medications or surgeries.
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.
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See All 2 AnswersTrigeminal neuralgia symptoms can fluctuate over time and there may a period of spontaneous remission, which may last from months to years. In the majority of patients the symptoms return. After many years the pain of trigeminal neuralgia may become less lancinating and more constant. -
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Sigma Nursing answeredSee All 4 AnswersGenerally, the treatment for piriformis syndrome begins with stretching exercises and massage. Anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed, and cessation of running, bicycling, or similar activities may be advised. A corticosteroid injection near the area where the piriformis muscle and the sciatic nerve meet may provide temporary relief. In some cases, surgery is recommended.
This answer is based on source information from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. -
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UCLA Health answeredSee All 4 AnswersThere's no laboratory test that definitively makes the diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia. The diagnosis is usually made by the patient’s description of the pain, and that diagnosis can be reinforced by doing a brain MRI scan.
We do a brain MRI scan not so much to see that the patient has trigeminal neuralgia, although that diagnosis can be suggested if we see a hint of a blood vessel pressing on the nerve. The MRI scan is actually done more to rule out other disorders of the brain that can mimic trigeminal neuralgia. Those include multiple sclerosis, certain types of benign tumors, and even vascular malformation or aneurysms that are near the trigeminal nerve. Part of the evaluation, for anyone who comes in who’s going to be considered for treatment for trigeminal neuralgia, is to get a brain MRI scan with a high-resolution look at the trigeminal nerve coming out of the area called the brain stem. -
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Sigma Nursing 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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Dr. Daniel R. Spogen, MD , Family Medicine, answeredSee All 2 AnswersSymptoms of piriformis syndrome include numbness, tingling and pain, usually in the buttock or hip. It is usually one sided and can radiate down into the leg. -
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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.
