Trigeminal neuralgia, also called tic douloureux, is sudden, stabbing pain on one side of the face, like an electric shock. It comes from the trigeminal nerve, the fifth cranial nerve, which carries touch and pain from your face to your brain. A light touch on the cheek, a sip of hot tea or a breeze can set it off. An attack lasts seconds, up to about two minutes. Then you spend the day waiting for the next one.
According to Dr. Guruprasad Hosurkar, a Neurologist in Bangalore, trigeminal neuralgia care, “Patients describe it as a lightning bolt through the cheek. The pain is real, it has a cause, and there are proper treatments for it.”
Shock-like pain on one side of your face?
Why Is Trigeminal Neuralgia So Painful?
Is MS behind yours? It can cause weakness, numbness and trouble with balance, and symptoms often flare in episodes. Read what triggers a multiple sclerosis relapse.
What Sets Off a Trigeminal Neuralgia Attack?
A headache that throbs all afternoon is something else. That’s migraine headache treatment territory.
How Is Trigeminal Neuralgia Diagnosed and Treated?
Exam: Which side? How long does each jolt last? What sets it off? Then comes a neurological exam.
MRI: The scan looks for a blood vessel pressing on the nerve. It also rules in or out things like MS or a tumour.
Medicines: These come first. The usual choice is an anticonvulsant like carbamazepine. Oxcarbazepine and gabapentin are others. Ordinary painkillers? Don’t count on them.
Surgery: It is considered if medicines fail or the side effects are too much. The big operation, microvascular decompression, moves the blood vessel off the nerve. It holds up best over the years, but it’s major surgery, and numbness in the face is common after these procedures.
The pain can go quiet for a while and then return. Medicines sometimes stop working as well as they did, so don’t skip your follow-ups.
Want to compare? Headaches can look alike but behave very differently, and one guide sets them side by side. Try migraine vs cluster vs tension headache.
Key Takeaways
- One side. A jolt. Seconds to a couple of minutes.
- Usual cause: a blood vessel pressing on the nerve. MS or a tumour is behind some cases.
- A meal or a breeze can set it off. So can brushing your teeth.
- Tablets first. Surgery is the backup.
- It can return. Don’t skip your follow-ups.
FAQ
Is this just bad facial pain?
No. It’s a nerve problem. Think electric shock.
What sets off an attack?
Tiny things, like a breeze on your cheek or a spoonful of food.
Does it go away on its own?
Attacks stop for a while, then often come back. Get treated. Tablets first, surgery for the longest relief.
Can MS cause trigeminal neuralgia?
Sometimes. MS is one of the causes, along with tumours and tangled blood vessels.
