Trigeminal neuralgia

See also: Atypical trigeminal neuralgia Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), "The Suicide Disease" or tic douloureux (also known as prosopalgia) is a neuropathic disorder of one or both of the facial trigeminal nerves. It causes episodes of intense pain in any or all of the following: the ear, eye, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, teeth or jaw on one side of the face. It is estimated that 1 in 15,000 people suffer from trigeminal neuralgia, although the actual... more

See also: Atypical trigeminal neuralgia Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), "The Suicide Disease" or tic douloureux (also known as prosopalgia) is a neuropathic disorder of one or both of the facial trigeminal nerves. It causes episodes of intense pain in any or all of the following: the ear, eye, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, teeth or jaw on one side of the face. It is estimated that 1 in 15,000 people suffer from trigeminal neuralgia, although the actual figure may be significantly higher due to frequent misdiagnosis. TN usually develops after the age of 50, more commonly in females, although there have been cases with patients being as young as three years of age . TN brings about stabbing, mind-numbing, electric shock-like pain from just a finger's glance of the cheek or spontaneously without any stimulation by the patient. Unfortunately, the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia are often falsely attributed to a pathology of dental origin. "Rarely do patients come to the surgeon without having... less