Trigeminal neuralgia is the pain occurring due to inflammation of the trigeminal nerve. The pains are sudden, severe and stabbing and considered one of the most dreaded pains of all are seen in Trigeminal Neuralgia. They last for a few seconds to about a few minutes leaving behind a dull burning ache for many hours or even days in Trigeminal Neuralgia.
Generally all the nerves pass through the spinal cord to and from the brain. However there are 12 nerves which pass from the cranium (part of the skull enclosing the brain) directly to the body without passing through the spinal cord. Trigeminal nerve is one of the 12 cranial nerves.
Trigeminal nerve is the fifth cranial nerve and one of the largest nerves of the body. The trigeminal nerve sends impulses of touch, pain, pressure and temperature from the face forehead jaws and gums and around the eyes to the brain. It has three major branches:
- Ophthalmic: This branch carries sensory information from the scalp forehead upper eyelid conjunctiva cornea nose and the nasal mucous and the frontal sinuses.
- Maxillary: This branch carries sensory information from the lower eyelid cheek nares upper teeth and gums and the maxillary ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses.
- Mandibular: This nerve carries sensory information from lower lip teeth and gums chin and jaw. This branch of trigeminal nerve helps in chewing biting and swallowing as it supplies the muscles responsible for mastication.
In trigeminal neuralgia most commonly the maxillary and mandibular branches are involved. Ophthalmic branch is involved in very rare (about 5% of the cases). Pains of Trigeminal Neuralgia are usually one sided and limited to the areas of distribution of trigeminal nerve. The pain may be constant or can reoccur at certain intervals. It mostly occurs in females. The female to male ratio is about 3:2. It is associated with certain trigger factors.
Homeopathy in the form of very potent medicines helps to reduce the inflammation of the nerve and relieve pains in Trigeminal Neuralgia. Homeopathy is a blessing for this torturing condition like Trigeminal Neuralgia as it provides the most natural safe and a permanent relief.
