Trigeminal NeuralgiaSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Trigeminal Neuralgia Overview
Learn About Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a nerve disorder. It causes a stabbing or electric shock-like pain in parts of the face.
Tic douloureux; Cranial neuralgia; Facial pain - trigeminal; Facial neuralgia; Trifacial neuralgia; Chronic pain - trigeminal; Microvascular decompression - trigeminal
The pain of TN comes from the trigeminal nerve. This nerve carries the sensations of touch and pain from the face, eyes, sinuses, and mouth to the brain.
TN may be caused by:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) or other diseases that damage the protective covering myelin of the nerves
- Pressure on the trigeminal nerve from a swollen blood vessel or tumor
- Injury to the trigeminal nerve, such as from trauma to the face or from oral or sinus surgery
Often, no exact cause is found. TN usually affects adults above age 50 years, but it can occur at any age. Women are affected more often than men. When TN affects people younger than 40, it is often due to MS or a tumor.
Symptoms may include any of the following:
- Very painful, sharp electric-like spasms that are usually brief. The spasms may occur close together such that it feels like they last from several seconds to minutes. Pain can become constant.
- Pain is usually only on one side of the face, often around the eye, cheek, and lower part of the face.
- There is usually no loss of sensation or movement of the affected part of the face.
- Pain may be triggered by touch or sounds.
Painful attacks of TN can be triggered by common, everyday activities, such as:
- Talking
- Smiling
- Brushing teeth
- Chewing
- Drinking
- Eating
- Exposure to hot or cold temperature
- Touching the face
- Shaving
- Wind
- Applying make-up
The right side of the face is more commonly affected. In some cases, TN goes away on its own.
Your health care provider, a neurologist, or a pain specialist may be involved in your care.
Certain medicines sometimes help reduce pain and the rate of attacks. These medicines include:
- Anti-seizure medicines, such as carbamazepine
- Muscle relaxants, such as baclofen
- Tricyclic antidepressants
If you are found to have MS as a cause of TN, your provider will discuss medicines that can treat the underlying MS.
Short-term pain relief occurs through surgery, but is associated with risk of complications. One surgery is called microvascular decompression (MVD) or the Jannetta procedure. During surgery, a sponge-like material is placed between the nerve and the blood vessel that is pressing on the nerve.
Trigeminal nerve block (injection) with local anesthetic and steroid is an excellent treatment option to rapidly relieve pain while waiting for medicines to take effect.
Other techniques involve destroying or cutting parts of the trigeminal nerve root. Methods used include:
- Radiofrequency ablation (uses high-frequency heat)
- Injection of glycerol or alcohol
- Balloon microcompression
- Radiosurgery (uses high power energy)
If a tumor is the cause of TN, surgery is done to remove it.
OHSU Hospital
Kim Burchiel is a Neurosurgery provider practicing medicine in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Burchiel is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia. He is also highly rated in 19 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Trigeminal Neuralgia, Essential Tremor, Parkinson's Disease, Deep Brain Stimulation, and Microvascular Decompression. Dr. Burchiel is currently accepting new patients.
Office
Adrian Laxton is a Neurosurgery provider practicing medicine in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Dr. Laxton is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia. He is also highly rated in 35 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Trigeminal Neuralgia, Meningioma, Glioblastoma, Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, and Deep Brain Stimulation. Dr. Laxton is currently accepting new patients.
Nyc Health Hospitals / Bellevue
Douglas Kondziolka is a Neurosurgery provider practicing medicine in New York, New York. Dr. Kondziolka is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia. He is also highly rated in 28 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Schwannoma, Acoustic Neuroma, Arteriovenous Malformation, Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, and Endovascular Embolization.
How well you do depends on the cause of the problem. If there is no disease causing the problem, treatment can provide some relief.
In some people, the pain becomes constant and severe.
Complications may include:
- Side effects of medicines used to treat TN
- Problems caused by procedures, such as loss of feeling in the treated area
- Weight loss from not eating to avoid triggering pain
- Avoiding other people if talking triggers pain
- Depression, suicide
- High levels of anxiety during acute attacks
Contact your provider if you have symptoms of TN, or your TN symptoms get worse.
Summary: The goal of this study is to evaluate if KRIYA-748 (RP-008) is safe, tolerable, and preliminary effective in treating trigeminal neuralgia (TN) when used in combination with varenicline tartrate. The study will also assess what doses of RP-008 are safe and tolerable for participants and how the severity of participants' TN pain and frequency of facial pain attacks are affected.
Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GK-SRS) as an ultra-early treatment option for trigeminal neuralgia (TN). The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. will earlier GK-SRS provide more durable pain relief compared to later GK-SRS? 2. will earlier GK-SRS reduce or eliminate the need for high-dose medical therapy? 3. will earlier GK-SRS have a low...
Published Date: May 04, 2026
Published By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Professor of Neurology, Cooper-Inspira Neuroscience, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Westmark NLW. Facial pain and neuromuscular diseases. In: Neville BW, Damm DD, Allen CM, Chi AC, eds. Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. 5th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2024:chap 18.