Where to massage for trigeminal neuralgia?

Written by Feng Ying Shuai

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Updated on January 18, 2025

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Trigeminal neuralgia is a stubborn and hard-to-treat condition in clinical practice. Sometimes symptoms can be alleviated through massage. Which acupoints should be massaged? For severe eye branch pain, you can massage Jingming, Sibai, Yangbai, and Touwei acupoints. If the pain is in the maxillary branch, you can massage Yingxiang, Quanliao, Xiaguan, and Tinggong acupoints. For severe mandibular branch pain, massage Chengjiang, Dicang, and Jiache acupoints, meaning the massage technique should progress from gentle to firm.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen

Neurosurgery

45sec

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Trigeminal neuralgia prodrome

Trigeminal neuralgia does not have very obvious precursors. This is because trigeminal neuralgia often occurs suddenly, especially with the concept of trigger points. That is to say, once the trigger point is activated, it immediately induces pain without any warning signs. Trigger points vary from person to person, usually located primarily on the cheek. Patients who frequently suffer from trigeminal neuralgia often know these areas. Typically, the pain occurs during activities like brushing teeth with cold water or chewing hard foods such as peanuts or walnuts, triggering severe pain instantly. Thus, in the case of trigeminal neuralgia, there are no precursors, only immediate triggers and immediate pain.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen

Neurosurgery

48sec

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Does trigeminal neuralgia cause facial swelling?

Patients with trigeminal neuralgia may also experience slight swelling on their face, but it is not very obvious. This is because the nerve also has a special function, which is to provide nourishment. When the facial area innervated by the trigeminal nerve shows abnormal signs, the facial nerves in this area will become affected, leading to malnutrition and eventually causing facial swelling. However, such swelling is usually not very severe. If there are other factors involved, the swelling could become more serious. For instance, it could be due to a gum infection triggering trigeminal neuralgia, or pressure caused by other tumors. Therefore, the best approach is to visit a hospital promptly for relevant examinations to clarify the cause, which is the best for the patient.

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Written by Liu Hong Mei

Neurology

50sec

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Is occipital neuralgia the same as trigeminal neuralgia?

Occipital neuralgia and trigeminal neuralgia are different; these are two distinct diseases with different onset times, affected areas, and pain characteristics. Occipital neuralgia generally occurs in the back of the head and is associated with cervical spondylosis, neck muscle tension, spasms, injury, trauma, and inflammation, typically triggering pain in the distribution area of the greater occipital nerve. Trigeminal neuralgia generally affects the distribution area of the trigeminal nerve, causing very intense pain, which may be like lightning or a burning sensation. It is typically triggered by washing the face, brushing teeth, or touching and can start and stop suddenly.

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Written by Li Pei

Neurosurgery

47sec

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What should I do if trigeminal neuralgia recurs?

After the recurrence of trigeminal neuralgia, oral medication can be considered as the initial treatment. If the effect of the medication is not clear, or the side effects are intolerable, then balloon compression or radiofrequency treatment can be considered. These two methods can be used repeatedly, but they also have a certain recurrence rate. If neither medication nor radiofrequency treatment achieves satisfactory results, then surgical treatment can be considered. Microvascular decompression surgery of the trigeminal nerve can be performed under a microscope, where the trigeminal nerve and the blood vessel compressing it are separated, which can fundamentally resolve trigeminal neuralgia. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Chen Yu Fei

Neurosurgery

49sec

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How is trigeminal neuralgia diagnosed?

The diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia is mainly based on the patient's clinical symptoms. It is mostly characterized by transient pain around the bilateral nasal root and corners of the mouth. There are generally no obvious prodromal symptoms before an attack; the pain occurs suddenly and stops suddenly. The nature of the pain is quite sharp, resembling knife-like cuts or a burning stabbing sensation. There are generally no significant signs before an onset, and the duration of an attack varies, lasting from a few seconds to several seconds, and even up to one or two minutes. Most patients experience sudden attacks and sudden cessation. Additionally, recurrent attacks can lead to severe adverse symptoms in patients and may even cause psychosomatic illnesses.