Facial Nerve Pain

Also known as trigeminal neuralgia, facial nerve pain is associated with the largest nerve inside the skull called trigeminal nerve. This nerve is responsible for transmitting signals of sensation from the brain to the skin of the face. Any disruption in the function of this particular nerve may cause sudden, excruciating pain in the facial area.

Actions as mild as putting makeup can set off a sudden jolt of pain across the face. Mostly, people over 50 report experiencing severe facial nerve pain. Women are more susceptible to the condition than men.

» Experts have found that in most cases unwanted pressure on the trigeminal nerve results in causing trigeminal neuralgia. The pressure may be exerted by an artery or a vein. This pressure may cause the trigeminal nerve to malfunction and transmit unwanted or uncontrollable pain signals from the brain across the face.

» Aging or underlying diseases such as multiple sclerosis may also contribute to trigeminal neuralgia.

» A tumor growing on the trigeminal nerve can also be an offender, but this occurs in rare cases. In other cases, the disease remains idiopathic.

» Pain caused due to trigeminal neuralgia may differ from person to person. For some people the pain can be felt as a throbbing or burning sensation, while for some it may be similar to an electric shock.

» The pain may also be felt as if something is piercing the skin, and it can be stabbing too.

» The pain may last for up to a few seconds or two minutes. But as the condition worsens, the pain may become constant and more frequent.

» The main characteristic symptom of trigeminal neuralgia is that even a slight touch or pressure on the facial region triggers a burst of pain.

» Actions as simple as brushing, eating, drinking, talking, yawning, smiling, washing the face, shaving, chewing, and massaging the face may trigger painful attacks of trigeminal neuralgia. The problem could be so severe in some people that even facing a breeze may turn out to be an excruciating experience.

» Mostly, trigeminal neuralgia affects one side of the face at a time. In rare cases, both the sides start paining at the same time. Areas around the lower jaw, upper jaw, cheek, side of the nose, teeth, eye, gums, and lips are commonly the places where the pain is felt.

These are the regions supplied by the middle and lower branch of the trigeminal nerve. Less often, the pain occurs in the forehead. The upper branch of the trigeminal nerve supplies this region. Facial nerve pain can also be triggered by sounds in some people.

» Many people with trigeminal neuralgia may start avoiding drinking and eating to escape the pain. This may lead to secondary symptoms such as weight loss and dehydration.

✔ The first line of treatment to manage facial nerve pain is to administer medicines which include anticonvulsants and antispasmodic agents. Anticonvulsants numb or reduce the pain in the face. These drugs are usually used in the treatment of epilepsy. Antispasmodics help relax the facial muscles thereby reducing painful sensations. In some cases, tricyclic antidepressants may also be included in the treatment.

✔ Mostly, patients of trigeminal neuralgia do well with the help of such drugs alone. But with time the effect of medicines may start wearing off and they may fail to respond in some people. Such cases require surgical aid. Surgery mainly aims at compressing the disrupted trigeminal nerve to relieve pressure, or purposely damaging it to keep it from malfunctioning.

✔ One side effect of such a surgery is some degree of facial numbness. To add to this, there are also chances of the facial nerve pain recurring months or years after the surgery. Other treatment options such as nutritional therapy, vitamin therapy, biofeedback, electrical stimulation of nerves and acupuncture may help some people manage the condition.

Facial nerve pain can severely interfere with a person's daily functioning. Following what the doctor recommends, interacting with people suffering from the same disorder, and being abreast with information about the latest treatment methods can be a great source of encouragement, and help patients cope with the condition.

Disclaimer: This story is provided as an information resource only, and should not be used to replace professional medical advice.