Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia TN is an inflammation of the trigeminal nerve causing extreme pain and muscle spasms in the face. Attacks of intense, electric shock-like facial pain can occur without warning or be triggered by touching specific areas of the face.

When the trigeminal nerve becomes irritated, an attack of intense pain results. Also called tic douloureux because of the uncontrollable facial twitching caused by the pain, trigeminal neuralgia is serious because it interferes with many aspects of a person`s life. Typical trigeminal neuralgia involves brief instances of intense pain, like an electrical shock in one side of the face. This pain comes in repeated waves that last an hour or more. You may initially experience short, mild attacks, with periods of remission

The cause of TN is probably a blood vessel pressing on the trigeminal nerve. Tumors and multiple sclerosis can also cause TN, but in some cases the cause is unknown. Trigeminal neuralgia affects 1 in every 25,000 people, and occurs slightly more in women than men. Patients are usually middle age and older.

Symptoms:-

Trigeminal neuralgia symptoms may include one or more of these patterns:

•Occasional twinges of mild pain

•Episodes of severe, shooting or jabbing pain that may feel like an electric shock

•Spontaneous attacks of pain or attacks triggered by things such as touching the face, chewing, speaking and brushing teeth

•Bouts of pain lasting from a few seconds to several seconds

•Episodes of several attacks lasting days, weeks, months or longer —some people have periods when they experience no pain

•Pain in areas supplied by the trigeminal nerve (nerve branches), including the cheek, jaw, teeth, gums, lips, or less often the eye and forehead

•Pain affecting one side of your face at a time

•Pain focused in one spot or spread in a wider pattern

•Attacks becoming more frequent and intense over time.

•The pain of typical trigeminal neuralgia usually has the following

features:-

1.Affects one side of the face

2.Can last several days or weeks, followed by a remission for months or years

3.Frequency of painful attacks increases over time and may become disabling

Tests:-

•A neurological examination.

•Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Homeopathic approach to Trigeminal Neuralgia:-

Homeopathy is the primary choice of therapy for Trigeminal Neuralgia. Homeopathic treatment has proved effective and has shown an overwhelming response in the treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia

Homeopathic medicines help minimize the frequency and severity of Trigeminal Neuralgia attacks, eventually leading to a remission. Homeopathic medicines are absolutely safe, non-toxic and do not encumber with other medicines Role of Homeopathy in Trigeminal neuralgia

•Homeopathy relieves the intensity, frequency and duration of attacks

•Long duration of TN-free period (over 3-6 months) could be achieved in most patients during the course of the treatment

•Homeopathy controls the underlying process of nerve damage

•Homeopathy treatment is very helpful in resistant cases of trigeminal neuralgia even.

•It reduces the neuralgic pain most effectively and for a long term period. There will be no need for taking any pain medicines further

•The patient can take homeopathy with their usual medicines including pain medicines. But in course of time the pain medicines will not be necessary to take.

•The duration of homeopathy treatment depends upon the chronic state of the disease and intensity of pain. If the TN is more chronic in nature then it will take time to give satisfactory result. In that case both traditional and homeopathy medicines can take together. When the pain gradually comes under the control with homeopathy treatment the other medicines dose should be reduced or stopped looking at the situation.

•If there is nerve compression then the duration of homeopathy treatment is longer.

Hence every individual suffering from Trigeminal Neuralgia must consider Homeopathy to provide relief and lifetime cure. Homeopathic treatment can alter a person’s life from one of distress to one of health.