Trigeminal Neuralgia Treatment in Westminster Denver Colorado
Overview
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Trigeminal
neuralgia is a condition that causes painful sensations similar to an electric
shock on one side of the face.
●
This
chronic pain condition affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation
from your face to your brain.
●
If
you have trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face — such as
from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup — may trigger a jolt of
excruciating pain.
●
You
may initially experience short, mild attacks. But trigeminal neuralgia can
progress and cause longer, more-frequent bouts of searing pain.
●
Trigeminal
neuralgia affects women more often than men, and it’s more likely to occur in
people who are older than 50.
●
Because
of the variety of treatment options available, having trigeminal neuralgia
doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re doomed to a life of pain. Doctors usually
can effectively manage trigeminal neuralgia with medications, injections or
surgery.
Symptoms
Trigeminal
neuralgia symptoms may include one or more of these patterns:
● 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 or brushing teeth
● Attacks of pain lasting from a few seconds to several
minutes
● Pain that occurs with facial spasms
● Bouts of multiple attacks lasting days, weeks, months or
longer — some people have periods when they experience no pain
● Pain in areas supplied by the trigeminal nerve, including
the cheek, jaw, teeth, gums, lips, or less often the eye and forehead
● Pain affecting one side of the face at a time
● Pain focused in one spot or spread in a wider pattern
● Pain rarely occurring at night while sleeping
● Attacks that become more frequent and intense over time
Causes
●
In
trigeminal neuralgia, also called tic douloureux, the trigeminal nerve’s
function is disrupted.
●
Usually,
the problem is contact between a normal blood vessel — in this case, an artery
or a vein — and the trigeminal nerve at the base of your brain. This contact
puts pressure on the nerve and causes it to malfunction.
●
While
compression by a blood vessel is one of the more common causes of trigeminal
neuralgia, there are many other potential causes as well. Some may be related
to multiple sclerosis or a similar disorder that damages the myelin sheath
protecting certain nerves.
●
Trigeminal
neuralgia can also be caused by a tumor compressing the trigeminal nerve.
●
Some
people may experience trigeminal neuralgia due to a brain lesion or other
abnormalities. In other cases, surgical injuries, stroke or facial trauma may
be responsible for trigeminal neuralgia.
Triggers
A
variety of triggers may set off the pain of trigeminal neuralgia, including:
● Shaving
● Touching your face
● Eating
● Drinking
● Brushing your teeth
● Talking
● Putting on makeup
● Breeze lightly blowing over your face
● Smiling
● Washing your face
Diagnosis
Your
doctor will diagnose trigeminal neuralgia mainly based on your description of
the pain, including:
● Type. Pain related to trigeminal neuralgia is sudden,
shock-like and brief.
● Location. The parts of your face that are affected by pain
will tell your doctor if the trigeminal nerve is involved.
● Triggers. Trigeminal neuralgia-related pain usually is
brought on by eating, talking, light touch of your face or even encountering a
cool breeze.
Your
doctor may conduct many tests to diagnose trigeminal neuralgia and determine
underlying causes for your condition, including:
● A neurological examination. Touching and examining parts of
your face can help your doctor determine exactly where the pain is occurring
and — if you appear to have trigeminal neuralgia — which branches of the
trigeminal nerve may be affected. Reflex tests also can help your doctor
determine if your symptoms are caused by a compressed nerve or another
condition.
● Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Your doctor may order an
MRI scan of your head to determine if multiple sclerosis or a tumor is causing
trigeminal neuralgia. In some cases, your doctor may inject a dye into a blood
vessel to view the arteries and veins and highlight blood flow.
Your facial pain may be caused by many different conditions,
so an accurate diagnosis is important. Your doctor may order additional tests
to rule out other conditions.
Our
expert providers are experienced and skilled at treating trigeminal neuralgia
and are your source for expert treatment of trigeminal neuralgia in Westminster
and Denver Colorado. Not only are we the premier treatment for spine injuries
and chiropractic in Westminster and Denver Colorado, but we also specialize in
many other advanced treatment techniques such as shockwave, cold laser, graston
technique, KT Taping, activator, instrument aided spinal alignments, drop
table, toggle, in house rehab services, and on site digital xrays. We are your
Premier destination for trigeminal neuralgia treatment in Westminster Colorado
and Denver Colorado Chiropractor.