The diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia is very common in medical practice. According to statistics, it is found in every two hundred people who go to the hospital for medical care. This pathology develops as a result of damage to nerve fibers located in the face and head. It is accompanied by intense and pronounced symptoms. Patients complain of severe pain and migraines, from which painkillers often do not help.
The main problem with this is that the disease is difficult to treat even in the early stages of development. To achieve a positive result, complex therapy is required, which includes taking medications, therapeutic exercises, and in some cases, surgical intervention. But even in this case, full recovery is far from always achieved. Some characteristic manifestations remain in a person for the rest of his life, which causes him certain inconvenience. Let's take a closer look at what trigeminal facial neuralgia is, how to treat it, and what kind of forecasts do doctors make regarding their patients who have come to them with this problem.
general information
Before we talk about how to treat trigeminal neuralgia, let's first understand what is hidden behind this term. According to many qualified specialists, in most cases the disease is chronic and has a pronounced clinical picture. The main symptom is severe pain and burning in the affected area. Symptoms can be of varying intensity and duration, but, as a rule, they appear on one side of the face. The patient's condition may be aggravated by the presence of concomitant chronic diseases of various origins, for example, autoimmune disorders, malignant tumors, and many others. Therefore, before prescribing any treatment, the doctor must conduct a comprehensive examination of the patient in order to make an accurate diagnosis, as well as draw up a detailed picture of his health condition.
Classification
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Many people are interested in the question of how to treat facial trigeminal neuralgia. However, it is impossible to unequivocally answer it, since here everything depends on many factors. The treatment program is selected separately for each patient, taking into account its individual characteristics and some other factors. In this case, a variety of pathology plays an important role. She may be:
- Primary - develops as a separate disease as a result of compression of nerve fibers or a violation of normal blood circulation.
- Secondary - is a complication caused by other pathologies, such as tumor processes and diseases of an infectious etiology, proceeding in a severe form.
The most difficult is considered secondary trigeminal neuralgia. How to treat it is very difficult to say, since one of the key factors in successful therapy is to identify the reason why a person has a pathology. If it is not eliminated, then no effect will be achieved. The form, stage and severity of the disease must also be taken into account. The earlier the patient turned to the hospital for help, the greater the chance of a full recovery. Therefore, when the first suspicions of a pathology arise, you must immediately make an appointment with the doctor.
Causes
This aspect should be given special attention. Unfortunately, to date, doctors have not been able to fully find out why the disease in question develops. Trigeminal neuralgia belongs to the group of idiopathic pathologies associated with autonomic-vascular disorders of central origin. In addition, the fact remains why the disease is more often encountered by the stronger sex. However, there are a number of factors that increase the risk of trigeminal neuralgia. Among the main ones, the following can be distinguished:
- physical injuries or post-traumatic scars remaining after them;
- damage to the temporomandibular joint;
- malignant tumors;
- adhesions of connective tissue resulting from transferred infectious diseases, accompanied by inflammatory lesions of the nerves or their processes;
- expansion of blood vessels;
- congenital malformations;
- increased intracranial pressure that develops as a result of degenerative-dystrophic lesions of the intervertebral discs of the cervical spine;
- hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes;
- violation of protein and lipid metabolism;
- negative reaction of the body to anesthesia during dental treatment;
- maxillofacial injuries;
- odontogenic periostitis;
- complications arising after filling and surgery to remove the tooth;
- autoimmune diseases;
- Cerebral palsy;
- viral or tuberculous inflammation of the brain;
- epilepsy;
- impaired blood circulation of nerve fibers in the affected area;
- brain cancer
- encephalopathy;
- head injuries;
- avitaminosis;
- oxygen starvation;
- various disorders of the central nervous system;
- AIDS;
- herpetic infection;
- cerebrospinal paralysis.
To answer the question of how to treat trigeminal neuralgia, you must first establish the exact cause that lies behind it. All problems require an individual solution, so the treatment program for each patient will be different.
Symptomatology
Let's dwell on this in more detail. According to experts, people treat trigeminal neuralgia (where to treat this pathology will be described later in this article) very late. Most citizens confuse the disease with common migraine, which is often the result of hypothermia. But the pathology is progressing rapidly, so in the later stages it is difficult to administer therapy. At the same time, neuralgia of the face and head is almost always accompanied by intense and pronounced symptoms, which are divided into the following groups: reflex, vegetative-trophic and motor disorders, as well as pain.
The last sign makes itself felt first. The patient experiences severe, burning and sharp pain in the affected area, which can last from 2-4 seconds to several minutes. At the same time, it rolls over suddenly, so it’s difficult for a person to control himself. Pain with trigeminal neuralgia (alternative treatment can also be effective, like modern medications in combination with other modern methods of therapy, but more on that later) can be localized in the following departments:
- chin;
- lower neck and lips;
- jaw
- the back of the head
- neck;
- lower eyelids, maxillary sinus;
- forehead;
- nose bridge.
In addition, there are:
- muscle spasms;
- various anatomical changes;
- runny nose;
- increased salivation;
- change in complexion;
- in some cases, eyelash loss;
- swelling of the face;
- increased dryness or greasy epidermis.
Each person should have a detailed understanding of how to treat trigeminal neuralgia, because if no measures are taken, the disease will continue to develop. The following clinical manifestations are a serious cause for concern:
- pain extends completely to one of the half of the face;
- on palpation, it becomes more intense and pronounced;
- memories of pain can trigger paroxysm;
- pain becomes chronic;
- vegetative-trophic disturbances amplify.
If you do not take any steps, then over time, the patient forms a focus of pathological activity of the optic tubercles, as a result of which trigeminal neuralgia develops. In this case, the effectiveness of treatment is significantly reduced, and the chances of a full recovery become almost zero.
According to medical statistics, most often the disease develops in men of middle and old age. In most cases, secondary trigeminal neuralgia is diagnosed. How to treat this pathology will be described in detail later in this article. It can develop on either side of the face, but in about 70 percent of cases, damage to nerve fibers and the formation of a lesion is observed on the right. Bilateral trigeminal neuralgia is a very rare disease that occurs in medical practice only in isolated cases. Relapses, as a rule, make themselves felt in the spring-autumn period, after which remission sets in.
Who to contact?
A very common question is where to treat trigeminal neuralgia. There is no fundamental difference. This disease can be treated both in public hospitals and in private clinics. First of all, you should make an appointment with the therapist. He will conduct an initial examination, after which he will be referred to a neurologist who will prescribe the laboratory tests necessary to make an accurate diagnosis and draw up a suitable treatment program.
If there are concomitant problems for which more detailed information is needed, consultation with an ENT specialist and a dentist may also be required. The opinion of these doctors is necessary in order to exclude the likelihood of any diseases occurring in a chronic form and associated with neuralgic pathologies. If there is a suspicion of a malignant tumor, an examination by an oncologist is mandatory.
Diagnostics
So, what is it and what is its feature? If you have any suspicion of having a disease, you should immediately contact the clinic. Trigeminal neuralgia requires complex treatment. Painkillers are prescribed to patients, but they only temporarily improve the patient’s well-being. To achieve a positive result, it is necessary to eliminate the cause behind the pathology. If this is not done, then gradually the symptoms will become more pronounced, and the patient’s condition will worsen. To find the most suitable treatment program, doctors need to get as much data about the disease as possible. To this end, they prescribe various laboratory tests to patients.
Among the most accurate and informative are the following:
- Dental examination. Very often, the pathology is caused by health problems in the oral cavity. Poor filling, the installation of improper prostheses, poorly performed removal surgery and many other factors can trigger the development of the disease. This research method is necessary so that the doctor can find the most optimal option, but in any case it is necessary to treat teeth with trigeminal neuralgia.
- Blood analysis. It is necessary in order to confirm or deny the presence of diseases of viral etiology.
- Magnetic resonance imaging. With it, doctors can study the structure and assess the condition of the nerves, as well as identify a lot of pathologies of various origins in the patient in the early stages.
- Electroneuromyography. Designed to assess the state of nerve fibers and study the characteristics of the passage of impulses through them.
- Panoramic x-ray examination of the head. It shows neoplasms that can squeeze nerves.
Consultation with a neurologist is also required. This specialist, based on the symptoms, history and clinical picture of the patient, determines what types of studies are necessary, and also decides how to treat facial trigeminal neuralgia. If the doctor begins to have any doubts or needs more information, he can send the patient to an appointment with specialists in other areas.
Conservative therapy
Let's dwell on this aspect in more detail. As soon as the presence of the disease is confirmed, the doctor selects the most effective treatment for the patient. The first thing you need with trigeminal neuralgia is to anesthetize the affected areas. But if the cause behind the disease is not eliminated, then no result can be achieved. Therefore, in most cases, complex therapy is carried out aimed at eliminating symptoms and combating underlying diseases.
Many people are interested in the question of how to treat trigeminal neuralgia. What kind of medications will be used - the doctor decides. Today, there are many different drugs on sale that are highly effective in combating this pathology, but one of the best is considered "Carbamazepine". It helps inhibit the passage of impulses along nerve fibers, causing the onset of pain. Dosage and duration of administration are calculated for each patient individually. But it is immediately worth noting that this disease requires long-term treatment, so you can not count on a quick recovery.
In this case, it is important to consider that the composition of the drug includes potent substances, so its long-term use can lead to intoxication. Among the side effects, the following can be distinguished:
- sleep disorder;
- memory impairment;
- various mental disorders.
"Carbamazepine" is prohibited for pregnant women because it can cause fetal intoxication and lead to miscarriage. In addition, it can not be used by people with some eye pathologies, heart block, and various blood diseases. While taking these pills for trigeminal neuralgia, you should refrain from consuming grapefruits, since these fruits increase the risk of side effects. To increase the effectiveness of therapy, "Carbamazepine" is often prescribed together with "Pipolfen."
Conservative therapy involves taking the following types of drugs:
- anticonvulsants: Baclofen, Phenibut;
- antibiotics: Herpevir, Ceftriaxone;
- psychotropic: “Diazepam";
- antipsychotic: "Pimozide";
- antidepressants: "amitriptyline";
- venotonic: Trental, Vitamin PP;
- anti-inflammatory: "Milgama", "Neurodiclovit";
- analgesics;
- vitamin complexes.
Medication for trigeminal neuralgia, the patient reviews of which you can read further, are often combined with physiotherapy. It allows you to increase the effect of any drugs and speed up the healing process. In most cases, the following procedures are prescribed to patients:
- ultrasound;
- laser therapy;
- electrophoresis;
- acupuncture;
- aurikolotherapy;
- phonophoresis;
- magnetotherapy;
- radiation therapy.
With neuritis and trigeminal neuralgia, drug treatment is selected for each patient separately, depending on many factors. Moreover, throughout the course of therapy, doctors continuously monitor the dynamics of its implementation and, if necessary, make appropriate adjustments. If a positive result is not achieved and the patient's condition does not change for the better, then surgical intervention may be required. However, it does not give a 100% guarantee for a full recovery.
Surgery
In modern medicine, radical methods of treatment are resorted to only in emergency situations, when there is simply no other way out. One of these is considered trigeminal neuralgia of the ear or eyes. Also, the operation is considered one of the most optimal options in the following cases:
- With pathological changes in arteries and capillaries, microvascular decompression is performed, during which the separation of the blood vessel is carried out. This technique is highly effective, but associated with high injuries.
- If the disease has developed due to squeezing of neurons, then a transcutaneous balloon compression is prescribed. During the operation, a special device is inserted through the catheter to the lesion site and the problem is eliminated.
- An alternative to the method described above is percutaneous trigeminal rhizotomy. Its essence lies in the fact that the neoplasm is removed under the influence of an electric current.
- An operation using ionizing radiation is performed to remove a damaged nerve. This method combines high performance and safety.
- In the early stages of the disease, when it has not yet developed into a severe form, nerve fibers can be removed with glycerin injections.
- If the patient has a cancerous tumor, its removal comes to the fore.
- In some cases, the destruction of the roots is carried out under the influence of high temperature.
, . - , , . . , , . , . , .
Can trigeminal neuralgia be cured at home? This question worries every person who has been diagnosed. Without the help of a qualified specialist, you won’t be able to defeat the disease on your own, because very often you need to take medications, which only a doctor can choose. For example, if damage to nerve fibers is caused by any pathogens, then a course of antibiotics is a prerequisite. But it’s quite possible to increase the effectiveness of treatment and speed up the healing process. This can be done using special gymnastic exercises. They contribute to:
- normalization of blood circulation;
- improving lymph outflow;
- better conduction of nerve impulses along neurons;
- reduce the risk of stagnant processes in the muscles.
Gymnastics is best done in front of a mirror. The following exercises are recommended for implementation:
- tilts and rotations of the head;
- sipping neck;
- exercise "Smile";
- retraction and inflation of the cheeks;
- blinking with intense eyelid tension;
- raising eyebrows up.
Each exercise is performed daily for 6-8 times. The longer the sessions, the better the result.
Alternative medicine
Is there a possibility of treating trigeminal neuralgia with folk remedies? People have struggled with this disease for many centuries, so there are several effective methods.
In order to reduce pain, you can apply cotton swabs dipped in fir oil to the affected area of the face. The procedure is carried out 2 to 6 times a day, depending on the intensity of the symptoms. After it, redness and swelling will be observed on the skin. This is a normal reaction, so do not worry. However, do not rub the oil too hard, as it can cause a burn.
An alternative remedy for pain is an herbal infusion made from chamomile and marshmallow. Both plants are infused separately during the day. Rinse the mouth cavity with chamomile broth, and the infusion in the marshmallow is used for compresses.
With neuralgia, warming also helps. A glass of buckwheat is poured into the pan, heated, then poured into a bag or piece of tissue and applied to the diseased part of the body. The procedure is recommended to be carried out three times a day until the symptoms disappear completely.
It is worth noting that trigeminal neuralgia is a serious pathology in which self-medication can significantly aggravate the situation. Therefore, before using the methods of traditional medicine, it is recommended to consult a doctor and coordinate all issues. According to experts, folk recipes should act as additional methods of therapy.
Prevention
It was described in detail above how to treat trigeminal neuralgia. It was previously mentioned that this disease is difficult to treat and can not always be completely defeated. Therefore, doctors are advised to adhere to certain rules that will reduce the risk of its development. Here are the most important ones:
- eat properly;
- periodically carry out vitamin therapy;
- try not to get too cold;
- periodically undergo a routine examination at the dentist;
- if you suspect any infectious diseases, contact the hospital immediately.
These preventative measures are very easy to carry out, but they will help to avoid very serious health problems.
Reviews on the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia
People faced with this disease claim that in the early stages it can be completely defeated. In a neglected form, the risk of developing complications is high, which will be impossible to eliminate. Therefore, it is very important to consult a doctor on time and begin treatment as soon as possible. Someone claims that neither drugs, nor injections, nor acupuncture, nor exercise therapy helped - only after the operation, people, according to them, were able to live and not exist.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that neuralgic pathologies are very serious, nevertheless, they do not pose a direct threat to life. However, such diseases inflict a severe blow on the mental health of a person and bring a lot of inconvenience to his daily life. Due to constant pain, the patient may develop depression. He becomes more withdrawn and alienated from the outside world, which, in turn, can lead to various mental disorders. Therefore, when the first symptoms appear, it is better not to hesitate, but immediately consult a doctor.