Approximately 15,000 new people are diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia each year. It is most common in people over 50, and more likely to happen to women than men, but is not usually genetic.
Unfortunately, Trigeminal Neuralgia is described as “insanely painful, severe condition” of the face, caused by the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve starts near the top of the ear, then splits into three areas: going towards the eye, cheek, and jaw. Usually trigeminal neuralgia presents on only one side of the face. The pain is often described as more painful than giving birth or passing a kidney stone.
Patients describe the facial pain as:
- Stabbing
- Electrical sensation
- So severe the person cannot eat or drink
- Comes on within seconds, but can last minutes or longer
- Can be triggered by anything touching the face or teeth (shaving, applying makeup, brushing teeth, even the wind blowing on the face or water touching the face.
Trigeminal Neuralgia causes are not easily known, but some believe it can be caused by dental procedures, facial trauma, or a blood vessel pressing against the trigeminal nerve (vascular compression).
In rare cases, trigeminal neuralgia can be related to multiple sclerosis, a tumor, or possibly from postherpetic neuralgia (caused by shingles).
Traditional treatment for trigeminal neuralgia in western medicine is to use pain medications or invasive surgery, both with many potential side effects.
Now there is Hope. Cloud 9 Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine specializes in treating Trigeminal Neuralgia with over a 90% success rate in significantly reducing the pain in intensity and frequency, and many patients are able to manage their pain without medications after a series of specialized treatments, living fuller, happier lives without pain. The secret to our success is utilizing acupuncture combined with ATP Resonance BioTherapyTM, and O3 Regenerative TherapyTM.
To begin, Call 410-847-4766 for a comprehensive consultation to find out if you are a good candidate for treatment.
