Our experts know that specialized care and innovative treatment options deliver relief from chronic pain. At UC Health, we have built a team of highly trained subspecialists that offer hope in the form of thorough, thoughtful assessment and diagnosis for headaches and facial pain, as well as a wide range of the latest treatment options backed by research.
To schedule an appointment, please call the UC Health Headache & Facial Pain team at 513-475-8730.
Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN)
Trigeminal neuralgia is a type of nerve pain in your face. The pain is usually on one side of the face and may feel burning or sharp and so severe that you can’t eat or drink. It is not life threatening and may be caused by normal daily activities.
![](/content/dam/uchealth/images/uc-gardner-neuroscience-institute/shah-headhahe-L4C5.jpg/jcr:content/renditions/cq5dam.web.767.431.jpg)
Our Capabilities
At the UC Headache & Facial Pain Center, we have the ability to diagnose and treat trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in the most comprehensive way. We collaborate with neurosurgery and pain medicine to provide interventional treatments for this disorder in case it is unmanageable with medication.
Compassionate Healing Starts Here
Click below to learn more about where you can find compassionate care.
Our Smell, Hearing & Communication Disorders Center brings together subspecialists who are experts in the full spectrum of neurologic disorders of the senses. Knowing that these conditions often have more than one cause, our highly trained teams collaborate to bring you an accurate diagnosis and customize your treatment plan backed by the latest research.
To schedule an appointment, please call the UC Health Smell, Hearing & Communication Disorders Center team at 866-941-8264.
ABOUT THIS CONDITION
Understanding Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN)
What is trigeminal neuralgia?
Trigeminal neuralgia is a type of nerve pain that affects your face. You may feel a strong burst of pain in part of your face. It is usually on one side of the jaw or cheek. The pain may be burning or sharp, and so severe that you can’t eat or drink.
A flare-up begins with tingling or numbness in the area. Then pain starts to come and go, often in bursts that last anywhere from a few seconds to 2 minutes. During a flare of the condition, these bursts of pain may become more and more frequent until the pain almost never stops. The intensity of the pain can make it hard to get through your day. But it’s not life-threatening.
This chronic pain condition can flare up for a few weeks or months. Then the pain goes away for a while, sometimes years.
Facts about trigeminal neuralgia
This pain condition happens most often in people older than 50. But younger people can also have it. Trigeminal neuralgia is more common in women than men.
The pain can be triggered by pressure on your cheek. This pressure can come from a razor when shaving. Or from your fingers when putting on makeup. Brushing your teeth, standing in the wind, washing your face, eating, drinking, and even talking also may cause it.
Experts think that a blood vessel pressing against the trigeminal nerve triggers the pain. Sometimes multiple sclerosis (MS) causes the pain. In rare cases, a tumor may be the cause. An MRI should be done to make sure it is not a tumor or MS.
Symptoms
People with trigeminal neuralgia may have these symptoms:
Flashes of severe pain in the cheek or jaw, rarely on both sides.
Absence pain between the flashes of pain.
The pain feels like electric shocks or like a knife.
Pain is often triggered by touching, wind, eating, or brushing the teeth.
Anxiety from the thought of the pain returning.
Diagnosis
To diagnose trigeminal neuralgia, your healthcare provider will typically take your health history and do a physical exam. Giving your provider details about the pain may help with making a diagnosis. This includes things such as where and when the pain happens. Imaging tests may be used to try to rule out other causes of pain.
Treatment
Most common over-the-counter and prescription pain medicines don’t work for people with this condition. Treatment for trigeminal neuralgia may include:
Anticonvulsant medicine.
Tricyclic antidepressants.
Surgery, if medicine has failed.
Acupuncture.
Biofeedback.
Stereotactic radiosurgery.
Percutaneous balloon rhizotomy.
Radiofrequency ablation.
Prevention
Experts don’t know how to prevent trigeminal neuralgia. You may learn to avoid certain activities that seem to trigger the pain more than others.
Managing trigeminal neuralgia
This condition is not fatal. But the pain and anticipation of the pain can interfere with your life. Working closely with your healthcare provider will help you find the best pain management methods for you. Alternative therapies have also been shown to help. These include acupuncture and biofeedback.
Contact Us
At UC Health, we lead the region in scientific discoveries and embrace a spirit of purpose – offering our patients and their families something beyond everyday healthcare. At UC Health, we offer hope.
Call for more information.