If you have trigeminal neuralgia, you should take time to find a top-rated NJ neurosurgeon who you trust to provide your treatment. Why? Because trigeminal neuralgia is a neurological condition of your trigeminal nerve that requires a certain level of expertise to properly manage.
Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition that affects your 5th cranial nerve, called the trigeminal nerve.
When your trigeminal nerve becomes irritated or damaged, pain can result. Common symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia include:
- Pain in one side of your face, jaw or ear
- Pain around your eye or teeth
- Episodes of sharp shooting pains in your face
- Burning or tingling sensation on one side of your face
Different activities can trigger your painful symptoms. These activities may include things like shaving, chewing food or brushing lightly against your cheek. Understanding your symptoms and how they behave can help you and your doctor make an accurate diagnosis of your trigeminal neuralgia.
Causes of Trigeminal Neuralgia
There are many different causes of trigeminal neuralgia. Working closely with a trusted physician can help you get an accurate diagnosis of your trigeminal neuralgia and determine the cause of your condition.
Causes of trigeminal neuralgia may include:
- Compression of your trigeminal nerve by neighboring vascular structures
- Irritation of your trigeminal nerve by wearing away of the myelin sheath that may occur with multiple sclerosis
- Compression of your trigeminal nerve by a tumor or cyst
- Stroke
- Facial trauma
It is important to have an accurate diagnosis and cause of your trigeminal neuralgia, as this may affect treatment decisions. While medication may be used to help decrease symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia, surgery is considered the definitive treatment for the condition.
Surgery for Trigeminal Neuralgia
There are different surgical procedures used to treat different types of trigeminal nerve lesions. Some of these surgeries are typically performed for compressive lesions, and others for irritation of the nerve due to neurological problems.
Surgery for trigeminal neuralgia may include:
- Microvascular decompression: This procedure involves your neurosurgeon making a small incision behind your ear and a tiny portion of your skull is excised. Your trigeminal nerve is then visualized and a small Teflon pad is placed between the nerve and its neighboring artery. This surgery is used to take pressure off of your trigeminal nerve to decrease or eliminate your pain.
- Gamma Knife Radiosurgery: Gamma Knife Radiosurgery is a minimally invasive procedure where multiple beams of radiation are carefully focused on your trigeminal nerve. This is intended to slightly damage the “sick” portions of your trigeminal nerve, decreasing painful signals that are being transmitted through the nerve.
- Percutaneous rhizotomy: This surgical procedure is done by using a small needle to thread an electrode to the “sick” branch of your trigeminal nerve. The electrode is heated, cauterizing and slightly damaging your nerve to decrease transmission of painful stimuli.
- Pain stimulator implant: This procedure involves surgically implanting a small electrode near your trigeminal nerve. Then electrical currents are passed through the electrode, stimulating your nerve and interrupting painful stimuli.
Each surgical procedure carries with it specific risks and benefits, and each is used to treat different types of trigeminal nerve conditions. Working closely with a trusted neurosurgeon can help ensure you have the best surgery for your condition.
Qualities in a Top-Rated NJ Neurosurgeon for Trigeminal Neuralgia
When trigeminal neuralgia strikes, finding a top-rated neurosurgeon should be your top priority. So what are the qualities of the best neurosurgeons for facial pain? First, your doctor should be a facial pain specialist. There are many neurosurgeons in NJ, but not all are trained to surgically manage your trigeminal neuralgia. Be sure to look for a neurosurgeon who specializes in facial pain.
Your neurosurgeon should also have a top-level education. You can easily find out about your doctor’s credentials with an online search. He or she should also be involved in educating his or her peers by engaging in research and publishing in medical journals.
A top-rated neurosurgeon should take the time to listen to your questions and concerns and help put you at ease about choosing surgery for your trigeminal neuralgia treatment. Your surgeon should feel like a trusted ally in your care.
You may require a consultation with a few different doctors before finding the best one for you. Different methods of finding a neurosurgeon may include:
- Searching the internet for New Jersey neurosurgeons with positive reviews
- Asking your family physician for a referral to a neurosurgeon who is a facial pain specialist
- Asking family members and friends who may have experience with facial pain
- By taking the time to find and consult with a few neurosurgeons, you can be sure to find the best doctor for your condition.
Questions to Ask Your Neurosurgeon
What questions should you be asking potential neurosurgeons with whom you consult? Are there things that you should know when considering trigeminal neuralgia surgery?
Some questions to ask when visiting with a neurosurgeon for trigeminal neuralgia may include:
- What surgical treatments are available for my condition? Your doctor should tell you about different treatment options for your trigeminal neuralgia and should provide you with a brief description of each.
- What are the risks and benefits associated with each surgery? A good doctor will be able to tell you why a certain procedure is good for you and how it can help you. He or she should also tell you about the risks of each surgery and what to expect during the recovery process.
- Are there alternatives to surgery? If your doctor seems to be pushy or giving you a hard sell for surgery without offering alternatives, you may want to consider a different surgeon. Some conditions are emergencies and need rapid surgical intervention. Trigeminal neuralgia is not typically a condition that requires emergency treatment.
- Are there resources available to help me prepare for surgery? Some doctors offer you pre-operative educational sessions to learn about surgery and what to expect in the hospital. This can help take some of the anxiety out of surgery for trigeminal neuralgia.
Most importantly, you should feel like you and your neurosurgeon are working together in a therapeutic alliance to help you get relief from your trigeminal nerve pain and get back to your normal active lifestyle.
Living with trigeminal neuralgia can be a difficult thing to do, and your symptoms may disrupt many aspects of your work and personal life. Taking time to find a top-rated neurosurgeon in NJ who can offer you the best treatment for your trigeminal neuralgia is important to maximize your chances of having a successful outcome with surgery.