What characterizes neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve: how to identify the causes and symptoms, treatment of the disease

When diagnosed with neuralgia, close to the patient, it is hard to see the anguish experienced by a person during an attack.

How to help a patient, how to alleviate his suffering, how to deal with these diseases and what neuralgia will help to understand this article.

Neuralgia - pain syndrome along the nerve or nerve plexuses .In medical reference books, one can meet neuralgia of the trigeminal, occipital and intercostal nerve.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a disease that carries chronic and encompasses the trigeminal nerve zone( one or more of its branches).Often in patients, the older age group, there is a lesion of the trigeminal nerve on one side of the face.

The disease is observed among young people and children very rarely, although young people with multiple sclerosis are susceptible to the disease.

An unbearable pain causes patients to abandon many of the functional activities of daily life( to eat, watch their appearance).

Seizures occur suddenly , a patient who, in addition to the pain that occurs in the area of ​​the ears, lips, nose, forehead, scalp, cheeks,( all individually and depends on the place of inflammation of the trigeminal nerve), often acquires a depressed state or moral depression.

Causes of trigeminal neuralgia

According to medical reference books, for a number of reasons, subsequently triggering neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve include degenerative-dystrophicAcute changes in the of the body:

• osteochondrosis;
• intervertebral hernia;
• viral diseases( an example is herpes);
• inflammation of the gums and teeth( example, periodontitis or pulpitis);
• unsuccessful dental treatment;
• injury to the face;
• disc protrusion;
• impaired blood supply to the nerve;
• inflammation or infection of the nerve;
• vascular disorders of the body;
• disturbance of metabolic processes;
• is an allergic inflammation;
• various psychogenic factors.

It is not possible to name exactly what exactly is the prerequisite for the formation of trigeminal neuralgia, it is not possible.

Most physicians, scientists and specialists in the field have developed several theories explaining the onset of the disease, but all of them agree on the reasons listed above.

Symptoms of the disease

The main symptoms and signs of neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve: is a terrible, throbbing, unbearable pain that covers the parts of the face, describing it, patients use the expression "shocked", pain interval.

Painful attacks of are accompanied by:

• salivation;lacrimation;
• numbness of the lips or jaw;
• hypersensitivity of the eyelids or nose;
• involuntary contraction of the facial muscles.

May cause pain when talking or when cooling. During rest( sleep), seizures are not observed.

Treatment procedures for neuralgia of the nerve

The goal of treating trigeminal neuralgia is to reduce or completely eliminate the pain syndrome.

To begin treatment, it is necessary to identify the cause of the disease or the cause of nerve compression.

For a patient who seeks medical advice, is prescribed:

• a general blood test;
• magnetic resonance imaging( in case of need and a detailed picture of the disease);
• angiography;
• computed tomography.

Based on the indices, treatment is prescribed.

There are a number of ways to treat trigeminal neuralgia. The totality of their use gives a positive result. Do not neglect one of the methods and do all the bets on the other.

The main methods of treatment

The main methods of treatment of are:

• phytotherapy;
• application of fees and herbs that help to remove pain syndrome( ineffective and in most cases causes the patient to consult a doctor);
• application of B vitamins and ascorbic acid( in acute periods, the course of the disease, vitamins are used intramuscularly);
• reflexotherapy;
• physiotherapy.

Treatment of pain syndrome

These include:

• ultraphonophoresis;
• dynamic currents;
• application of novocaine, amidopyrine;
• drug therapy.

Medical treatment

Treatment of neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve drugs prescribed if the cause was a tumor or vascular pathology.

When treated with a medicamentous method, patients are prescribed:

• antiepileptic drugs;
• analgesics;
• antiviral.

Drugs prescribed for :

1. Carbamazepine. Very effective, although with a number of side effects, including: drowsiness, dizziness, ataxia, but( in the opinion of patients' reviews), the drug is very effective. Improvements come after the first days of admission, and they painlessly and without fear talk, chew, yawn. Treatment lasts about half a year( the dose of the drug is reduced).
2. In some cases, the prescription of the drug Oxcarbazepine is possible. The drug is typical and based on carbamazepine, but less likely to cause side effects.
3. It is allowed, in some cases, and the use of drugs Phenytoin and Gabapentin.

Surgery

P In negative results surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia is prescribed.

These methods are used only in exceptional cases, if there is no possibility to cure the disease with the help of conservative techniques.

In modern practice, several are used, and they are selected by a specialist, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient and his disease:

1. In the early stages of trigeminal neuralgia development, the method is applied under general anesthesia. With the help of radio waves or chemicals, through the catheter, there is an impact and destruction of the nerve. Elimination of pain( according to patients' reviews) does not occur immediately, but after a certain period of time, during which drugs are prescribed to reduce pain impulses.
2. Another method of surgical treatment, aimed at correcting the position of the artery, which squeezes the nerve in the skull of the patient.

Complications of the disease

Like any disease, trigeminal neuralgia in neglected condition entails certain consequences:

• paresis of facial muscles;
• hearing impairment;
• damage to the nervous system.

The risk group consists of people of older age group( more often women), people suffering from cardiovascular diseases or with disrupted metabolism.

Preventive measures

Prevention of disease is:

1. Avoidance of hypothermia in both the face and the whole organism. To dress in the weather is much wiser than the treatment( sometimes without results) of severe pain.
2. In case of occurrence and detection of infectious diseases especially the oral cavity and nasopharynx, try to heal them in time and completely.
3. Try to follow a balanced diet and apply multivitamins.
4. Atherosclerosis( the occurrence of plaques in the blood vessels of the body, the brain is not an exception), to which people of the older age group are prone, are more likely to be among a number of reasons for the trigeminal neuralgia.
5. Systematic visit to the dentist for the identification of an infection that could eventually cause the disease

Any disease is easier to prevent than treat, so should focus on the prevention of trigeminal neuralgia in order to avoid its consequences.

If it so happens that the disease has got the upper hand, do not self-medicate, do not prescribe painkillers that relieve the pain for a couple of hours, but contact an experienced specialist for a rational and complete course of treatment.

Video: Neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve

Neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve is an intolerable pain in the face. What are the true causes and symptoms of the disease. Diagnosis and modern methods of treatment.