Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is recognized as one of the most severe chronic pain conditions, primarily affecting the face. Though each pain episode lasts only a few seconds to a few minutes, the pain is often described as a sharp, electric shock. The exact cause of TN remains unclear, but it generally occurs when a blood vessel compresses the trigeminal nerve, the largest nerve in the head, and causes debilitating pain in various parts of the face and jaw region.
TN can severely disrupt daily life. Simple activities like eating, drinking, talking, brushing teeth, or even light touches can trigger intense pain. This excruciating pain, along with constant anxiety about pain episodes, often leads to depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Because this condition has such an impact on quality of life, proper diagnosis and effective treatment are imperative.
Treatments for TN often include medications, injections, or surgery. Anticonvulsant drugs like carbamazepine, gabapentin, or oxcarbazepine help reduce the frequency of pain attacks. These drugs work by slowing down electrical impulses in the nerves. Many people can manage the condition for years with medications but often have to endure side effects like dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea. Injections like Glycerol injections or Botox can be used to disrupt pain transmission through the trigeminal nerve, but only provide temporary relief and usually require multiple injections. If TN doesn’t respond to medications, surgery, like microvascular decompression surgery is an option. During this procedure, a surgeon places a plastic implant or Teflon between the nerve and the blood vessel that’s compressing it.
For those wanting a non-invasive surgery option, stereotactic radiosurgery, may be an ideal alternative. With stereotactic radiosurgery, treatment is a one-time, outpatient procedure, and no sedation or hospitalization is required. Using CyberKnife® technology, St. Louis CyberKnife performs stereotactic radiosurgery, a nonsurgical method of treating certain types of tumors and conditions like TN with high-dose radiation beams delivered in five or fewer treatments. To treat a patient with TN, CyberKnife delivers very precise radiation beams to a targeted segment of the trigeminal nerve to interrupt pain-causing fibers. The pinpoint accuracy of the procedure spares healthy tissue and allows physicians to treat difficult-to-reach targets without traditional surgery. The procedure is quick, effective, and many patients experience significant pain relief shortly after treatment.
Schedule a consultation at St. Louis CyberKnife if you’re seeking a non-invasive solution for TN. Don’t wait any longer to seek relief. Get the support you need for an improved quality of life.