Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia (a.k.a. tic douloreaux) is a nerve disorder that causes a stabbing or electric-shock-like pain in parts of the face. The pain of trigeminal neuralgia comes from the trigeminal nerve. This nerve carries pain, feeling, and other sensations from the brain to the skin of the face. It can affect part or all of the face, and the surface of the eye. The condition usually affects older adults, but it may affect anyone at any age. Trigeminal neuralgia may be caused by Multiple sclerosis, pressure on the trigeminal nerve from a swollen blood vessel or tumour, or physical trauma to the nerve from various causes such as a car accident or during a medical intervention such as surgery.

Trigeminal neuralgia is very painful with sharp electric-like and or burning spasms that usually last a few seconds or minutes, but can become constant. The pain is usually located only on one side of the face, often around the eye, cheek, and lower part of the face. The pain may be triggered by touch or sounds. Painful attacks of trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered by common, everyday activities, such as brushing teeth, eating, drinking, touching the face, or walking in the wind. Wind, cold, heat, stress or fatigue may aggravate the condition. The condition may become chronic and debilitating, often lasting for years. Often, no specific cause of Trigeminal neuralgia can be found.

Once Western medicine utilizes an MRI exam or cone beam cat scan (CT Scan) to rule out a physical obstruction pressing on the trigeminal nerve or multiple sclerosis, which can mimic the same symptoms, the choice of treatment is drug therapy to control the pain. Medical doctors will often prescribe strong medications such as anti-seizure drugs (ex. gabapentin), muscle relaxants (ex. clonaxepam), antidepressants (ex. amitriptyline). Pharmaceuticals often have significant risk of side effects ranging from dizziness and nausea to serious heart, liver, kidney and blood complications. Sometimes in very severe cases of Trigeminal neuralgia, patients are given the option of surgically cutting or destroying a branch of the trigeminal nerve. While providing relief from pain, this causes permanent numbness to the affected area.

Clinical evidence and studies indicate that Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can be an effective treatment for Trigeminal neuralgia. Acupuncture can effectively treat neurological dysfunction; it can be used as a nerve block for analgesic reasons, and to improve the flow of energy along the nerve. In addition, Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can effectively treat aggravating factors such as stress, sleep disorders, muscle spasms, and so on. According to the traditional practice of TCM, each patient shall be treated as an individual with a unique treatment protocol. During a consultation, a proper medical history and pain history will be taken into account when developing a customized treatment plan.