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Guidelines for sites linking to mayoclinic.orgTrigeminal neuralgia is a nervous system disorder that affects the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for relaying sensory information in the face and controlling the muscles of chewing. The condition causes episodes of intense, shooting pain in the eye, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, cheek or jaw.
At Mayo Clinic, highly trained specialists from Neurology and Neurosurgery work together to diagnose and treat trigeminal neuralgia successfully. In Mayo's unique system, teams of experts combine their skills and extensive experience with the latest diagnostic tools to determine the most appropriate treatment for patients.
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is ranked No. 1 in Neurology & Neurosurgery in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings.
No single test can diagnose trigeminal neuralgia. The condition must be distinguished from other forms of facial pain that may be caused by diseases of the teeth, jaw or sinuses.
Mayo Clinic specialists have many tools to help confirm an accurate diagnosis for patients with trigeminal neuralgia. Read more about trigeminal neuralgia diagnosis.
At Mayo, specialists in Neurology and Neurosurgery collaborate to determine the most appropriate treatment to relieve each patient's pain, while avoiding facial numbness as much as possible. Successful treatment for the disorder should allow patients to resume an active life.
Treatment may include medications, surgery or a combination. Read more about trigeminal neuralgia treatment options.
Trigeminal nerve distribution
Trigeminal neuralgia (sometimes called tic douloureux) is a nervous system disorder characterized by episodes of intense, stabbing, electric shocklike pain in areas of the face reached by branches of the trigeminal nerve — the lips, eyes, nose, scalp, forehead, upper jaw and lower jaw.
The cause of the pain associated with the disorder is not always evident. Research indicates that pain often results when a blood vessel is compressed by the trigeminal nerve, damaging the protective sheath surrounding it and causing the nerve to behave erratically.
Read more about trigeminal neuralgia at www.MayoClinic.com.
After treatment at Mayo Clinic, Cynthia Smith says, "I am now pain free from 7 years of excruciating tongue and facial pain."
Visit the Sharing Mayo Clinic blog for more about Cynthia's experience at Mayo.
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