Trigeminal neuralgia is a disorder which is commonly found in women and men above 50 years of age. It is the pain which is located on the face. There are number of treatments which are suitable and give relief from the pain. The first step in avoiding pain is to avoid triggers. If your pain is due to wind, then you can avoid sitting near a window. Wearing a scarf can also help. At times hot and spicy food can also trigger the pain and thus they should be avoided.
The most common medication the is prescribed is carbamazepine. Carbamazepine is initially taken in a low dose twice a day and it increased slowly as needed. There are other medications available which can be used for treating trigeminal neuralgia. They includes oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), lamotrigine (Lamictal) and phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek). Other drugs, including clonazepam (Klonopin) and gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise)
Surgery is often an option for pain relief. The goal of trigeminal neuralgia surgery is to stop the blood vessel from compressing the trigeminal nerve or to damage the trigeminal nerve to keep it from malfunctioning. Damaging the nerve often causes temporary or permanent facial numbness, and with any of the surgical procedures, the pain can return months or years later.
Some individuals manage trigeminal neuralgia using other techniques or therapies, usually in combination with drug treatment. These therapies offer varying degrees of success. Some people find that low-impact exercise, yoga, creative visualization, aroma therapy, or meditation may be useful in promoting well-being. Other options include acupuncture, upper cervical chiropractic, biofeedback, vitamin therapy, and nutritional therapy. Some people report modest pain relief after injections of botulinum toxin to block activity of sensory nerves.
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