Trigeminal neuralgia should register for which department?

Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
Updated on September 29, 2024
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The department for registering trigeminal neuralgia depends on the distribution of departments in the local hospital. Most commonly, registration is done in the department of functional neurosurgery. However, different hospitals may have different levels of specialization and may employ varying treatment methods which require different departments. For instance, initially, one can register at the department of neurosurgery for oral medication adjustment, usually with carbamazepine.

If there is no significant improvement later on, one may register with the department of pain management or anesthesiology for nerve block treatment. Due to the detailed specialization in some hospitals, it might also be necessary to consult other departments. If there is still no effective outcome, it is necessary to register at the department of neurosurgery for surgical treatment to fundamentally address the disease.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Is trigeminal neuralgia easy to treat?

Whether trigeminal neuralgia is easy to treat must be judged based on the situation at the time. The vast majority of patients with trigeminal nerve pain can find a corresponding cause, such as compression by blood vessels, tumors, or infection factors. For vascular compression, microvascular decompression surgery can be adopted for treatment. For tumor compression, craniotomy and tumor resection can be adopted for treatment. For some infectious factors, treatment such as anti-infection and hormones can be adopted. These are relatively easier to treat, and most can have a very obvious prognosis. However, there are also cases, such as trigeminal neuralgia where no specific cause has been found, called primary trigeminal neuralgia, where active complete treatment is not possible, and only certain methods can be used to alleviate the general symptoms of the patient and reduce their suffering.

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Written by Jiang Fang Shuai
Neurosurgery
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How painful is trigeminal neuralgia?

The trigeminal nerve is located on the human face, and trigeminal neuralgia is a common neurological disorder. The most prominent symptom of this disorder is pain that feels like needle pricks or knife cuts. This pain usually occurs very suddenly and is extremely intense. When the pain occurs, patients cannot perform any movements related to the face, severely affecting their quality of life. Moreover, sometimes even a minor movement can trigger repeated episodes of pain, placing the patient in constant severe discomfort. Therefore, trigeminal neuralgia is also referred to as "the worst pain in the world."

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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Does trigeminal neuralgia cause dizziness?

For patients with trigeminal neuralgia, they generally do not experience dizziness. Trigeminal neuralgia is mostly due to the presence of a significant culpable vessel around the trigeminal nerve, which continuously compresses the nerve, leading to abnormal discharges of the trigeminal nerve. This is manifested as severe headache pain in the area distributed by the roots of the trigeminal nerve, most often characterized by sharp, stabbing pain, resembling a knife cut or tearing, which is often unbearable for patients. As the condition progressively worsens, the frequency and occurrences of trigeminal neuralgia attacks also gradually increase, often causing extreme pain for the patients.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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Trigeminal neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia is not uncommon in clinical settings; pain can often occur due to compression by blood vessels or tumor tissues. In addition, infections that irritate the trigeminal nerve can also cause pain. Therefore, it is essential to make assessments based on the specific conditions. In clinical practice, the initial treatment for trigeminal neuralgia typically involves oral medications. If there is no significant improvement with oral medications, further comprehensive examinations are necessary. Treatment options may include sphenopalatine ganglion block technique, microvascular decompression surgery, and craniotomy tumor removal surgery, among other measures. Thus, for trigeminal neuralgia, there are various treatment options available that can potentially provide significant relief. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor)

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Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
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trigeminal neuralgia scope

The range of trigeminal neuralgia attacks is usually located in the sensory area of the trigeminal nerve root, broadly covering both sides of the patient's nostrils and around the corners of the mouth. The nature of the pain is quite severe, often described as knife-like pain or burning pain. The duration of each pain episode varies, often starting and stopping suddenly. Around the pain area, fixed trigger points are likely to form. Accidentally touching these trigger points while brushing teeth, washing faces, or rinsing mouths can often trigger an attack of trigeminal neuralgia. Over time, due to repeatedly triggering the pain by touching these points, patients may become afraid to wash their faces or brush their teeth, and may experience facial muscle numbness or atrophy.