Trigeminal Neuralgia

Symptoms

Pain that occurs without warning or that is triggered by actions involving the face, such as chewing, speaking, face washing, brushing teeth, cold winds or touching a specific trigger spot, is the hallmark symptom of trigeminal neuralgia.

An attack of trigeminal neuralgia can last from a few seconds to about a minute.

Some people have mild, occasional twinges of pain, while other people have frequent, severe, electric-shocklike pain. Some people who may initially experience short, mild attacks may experience a quick worsening in the condition, with longer, more frequent episodes of jolting, piercing pain.

Pain can occur on both sides of the face, but trigeminal neuralgia usually affects just one side. The pain may affect just a portion of one side of the face, or the pain may spread in a wider pattern.

The condition also tends to come and go. Attacks of pain may occur off and on all day, or even for days or weeks at a time. Then, there may be no pain for a prolonged period.