Trigeminal neuralgia is the most common facial nerve disease. Typical symptom is recurrent unilateral facial pain. It comes suddenly and disappears suddenly. Speaking, washing face, brushing teeth or breeze wind can result in severe unbearable pain. The pain lasts for a few seconds or minutes. During the intermittent period patients are quite normal. Medication such as carbamazepine and phenytoin can be used. Condition of many people treated by medication improves significantly so no injections or surgery is needed. But for some patients, the effectiveness of medication deteriorates over time or they have adverse reactions. They need injection or surgery. Microvascular decompression is now the preferred method of surgical treatment.
How is Trigeminal neuralgia treated in practice?