Symptoms and Signs of Trigeminal Neuralgia

Symptoms and Signs of Trigeminal neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia provide the following symptoms and signs

1. Neuropathic pain

Include severe paroxysmal pain , sharp, stabbing like, shot, electrocuted, hit by lightning, or burning a brief few seconds to a few minutes but less than two minutes, sudden and repetitive. Between attacks there is usually pain-free interval, or only mild dull taste.

2. Location of pain is generally limited in the area and the trigeminal nerve dermatome is characteristic unilateral pain. 

Common, pain in the distribution of the mandibular nerve (V2) 19.1% and the maxillary nerve (V3) 14.1% 35.9% or a combination of both so that the most frequent pain in the lower half of the face. Rarely confined to the ophthalmic nerve (V3) 3.3%. Most patients felt pain in all branches of the trigeminal nerve (15.5%) or a combination of maxillary and ophthalmic nerve (11.5%). Rare combination of pain in the area of distribution of ophthalmic and mandibular nerve (0.6%). 3.4% bilateral pain, pain is rarely felt on both sides simultaneously, usually at the two sides are separated several years. Bilateral cases usually associated with multiple sclerosis or familial.

3. Trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered by non-noxious stimulus 

Like light touching, vibration, or chew stimulus. As a result, the patient will have difficulty or raised while brushing teeth, eating, swallowing, talking, unshaven face, touched your face, wash face and even the wind blown cold. Usually the area that can trigger pain (triger area) on the front face, sesisi with pain in the region of the trigeminal nerve branching same. When the triger area scalp area, patients are afraid to wash or comb.

4. Pain in trigeminal neuralgia may remit in a year or more. 

In the active period neuralgia, an increase in the frequency characteristics and severity of attacks of pain progressively with time.

5. Approximately 18% of patients with trigeminal neuralgia, atypical pain initially that the longer a typical, called the trigeminal preneuralgia. 

Pain feels dull, constantly on one jaw that lasts a few days to several years. Thermal stimulus can cause throbbing pain that is often regarded as dental pain. Anticonvulsants therapy can relieve pain trigeminal preneuralgia so this way can be used
pains to distinguish the two.
 

6. On physical and neurologic examination is usually normal or not found significant neurologic deficit. 

Significant loss of sensibility in the trigeminal nerve leads to search the underlying pathological processes, such as tumor or infection that can damage the nerves. In tumors, in addition to atypical pain and loss of sensibility, accompanied other cranial nerve disorders.

Resources:

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