What are the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia?

Symptoms of TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA are: (1) Headache with sharp, electric shock-like pain. (2) Numbness or abnormal sensation. (3) Facial pain. (4) Abnormalities in sense of taste. (5) Eye pain. (6) Toothache

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Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)

Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.

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Learn more about Trigeminal neuralgia

Content updated on Sep 20, 2022

What is trigeminal neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by pain that affects the trigeminal nerve (carries sensation from the face to brain). Even a mild stimulation of your face by brushing teeth or combing hair might be a trigger. Causes include contact between a blood vessel and trigeminal nerve which puts pressure on the nerve, nerve compression by a brain tumour, stroke or trauma.

Symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia

Headache with sharp, electric shock-like pain
Numbness or abnormal sensation
Facial pain
Abnormalities in sense of taste
Eye pain
Toothache

Questions your doctor may ask to check for trigeminal neuralgia

Your doctor may ask these questions to diagnose trigeminal neuralgia

Does your headache feel a sharp pain like an electric shock?
Do you feel any numbness or change in sensation?
Do you have pain in the face?
Have you felt your sense of taste has changed recently?
Do you have eye pain?

Treatment for trigeminal neuralgia

Depending on the cause of your trigeminal neuralgia, your doctor may prescribe you with medications to reduce the pain. In other cases, surgery may be recommended by your doctor to treat the cause.

View the symptoms of Trigeminal neuralgia

Diseases related to Trigeminal neuralgia

References

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https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0333102416687280
Cruccu G, Di Stefano G, Truini A. Trigeminal Neuralgia. N Engl J Med. 2020 Aug 20;383(8):754-762. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1914484. PMID: 32813951.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMra1914484
Cruccu G. Trigeminal Neuralgia. Continuum (Minneap Minn). 2017 Apr;23(2, Selected Topics in Outpatient Neurology):396-420. doi: 10.1212/CON.0000000000000451. PMID: 28375911.
https://journals.lww.com/continuum/Abstract/2017/04000/Trigeminal_Neuralgia.8.aspx
Zakrzewska JM, Linskey ME. Trigeminal neuralgia. BMJ. 2015 Mar 12;350:h1238. doi: 10.1136/bmj.h1238. PMID: 25767102.
https://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h1238
Liao JY, Zhou TH, Chen BK, Liu ZX. Schwann cells and trigeminal neuralgia. Mol Pain. 2020 Jan-Dec;16:1744806920963809. doi: 10.1177/1744806920963809. PMID: 33054604; PMCID: PMC7786407.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1744806920963809