If you are feeling sharp, electric-like pain in your face, ear or jaw, you may be suffering from trigeminal neuralgia. Your symptoms may limit your ability to enjoy normal work and recreational activity.
If you are dealing with trigeminal neuralgia, you may benefit from a consult with an NJ neurosurgeon who both treats facial pain and offers you definitive treatment for your condition. Finding the best neurosurgeon for you should be a top priority when dealing with facial pain or spasm.
What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition caused by irritation of your 5th cranial nerve, called the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve provides sensory information from your face. When the nerve gets irritated, it can cause a variety of symptoms including:
- Sharp and shooting pain on one side of your face
- Muscular spasm or pain in your jaw
- Ear pain
- Eye pain
- Headache
Symptoms can come on for no apparent reason, and they may range from mild to severe. Most often, your pain will come on like a flash of electricity after certain activities like shaving, brushing your teeth or excessive chewing. When the pain strikes, it can make concentrating on the most menial tasks difficult or impossible.
There are many different causes of facial pain or hemifacial spasm. Some of these causes – like stroke, tumor or multiple sclerosis – are serious conditions. Other causes such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders or sinus problems are less serious.
Of course, trigeminal neuralgia is another cause of facial pain. With so many different conditions that can cause symptoms of pain and spasm in your face, it is imperative that you visit your doctor whenever facial pain strikes to get an accurate diagnosis.
Diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia is made largely by a reviewing a patient’s medical history accompanied with a physical examination with an expert physician. Often times, your doctor will rule out other problems by ordering an MRI or CT scan of the brain. Once your diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia has been confirmed, you can start on getting the proper treatment for your condition.
Treatment for trigeminal neuralgia begins with using medication to decrease pain or muscular spasm in your face. If medication fails to give you adequate relief, you may need to consider more invasive procedures like rhizotomy or trigeminal neuralgia surgery.
Surgical Management of Trigeminal Neuralgia
If you have trigeminal neuralgia, you may benefit from surgery for your symptoms. The gold standard of surgery for trigeminal neuralgia is microvascular decompression. During this procedure your doctor makes a small incision behind your ear and removes a tiny portion of your skull.
Then, your trigeminal nerve is visualized, and a small Teflon pad is situated between your nerve and its neighboring artery. This helps to take pressure off your trigeminal nerve, relieving your symptoms. Symptoms are typically rapidly and permanently reduced with this procedure.
A popular and effective non-surgical procedure for trigeminal neuralgia is gamma knife radiosurgery. During this procedure, your neurosurgeon uses focused beams of radiation directed at your trigeminal nerve. The radiation slightly damages your trigeminal nerve and, when successful, your symptoms slowly abate.
Many patients may find benefit from pain stimulator placement. This intervention involves your neurosurgeon placing an electrode near your trigeminal nerve. The electricity from this device helps to block painful symptoms coming from your face to your brain.
With so many different treatment options available for trigeminal neuralgia, it important to find a top-rated NJ neurosurgeon to treat your condition.
Best NJ Neurosurgeons in a Top-Rated Facility
When starting your search for a New Jersey neurosurgeon to treat your facial pain, it pays to take your time to find a top-rated doctor. So what are the qualities of a top-rated neurosurgeon?
First, your surgeon must treat you with respect and kindness. When meeting with your neurosurgeon, he or she should take the time to answer your questions and help calm any concerns you may have. You should be offered alternatives to surgery, and your doctor should explain to you the risks and benefits associated with each type of treatment recommended.
Your doctor should also practice in a top-rated NJ hospital. The facility where you have surgery should be staffed by compassionate professionals who utilize innovative diagnostic and surgical techniques for trigeminal neuralgia. Ask your neurosurgeon where he performs surgery and about the type of facility it is.
Your doctor should also offer pre-operative education and instruction. That way you will understand what to expect from each member of your treatment team while having surgery. During your pre-op class you should learn about the different pieces of equipment being used during surgery and the expected recovery period. You should also have an on-site or virtual tour of the hospital where you are having surgery.
Most importantly, you should feel like you and your neurosurgeon are working together to treat your trigeminal neuralgia. Your doctor should feel like a trusted ally, working with you to find the best treatment for your facial pain.
Find the Top Neurosurgeon for Your Trigeminal Neuralgia
So how do you find the best neurosurgeon and hospital facility in NJ for trigeminal neuralgia? There are some simple things to do, including:
- Asking family members or friends about their experience with trigeminal neuralgia
- Seeking out a trigeminal neuralgia or facial pain support group who may have experience with NJ neurosurgeons
- Searching the internet for positive reviews of NJ neurosurgeons who treat trigeminal neuralgia
- Asking your family doctor for a referral to a trusted professional
It may seem like a lot of legwork to do to find the best neurosurgeon and facility to treat your trigeminal neuralgia, but taking the time to find a trusted doctor will make your experience with treating your facial pain a positive one.
Dealing with facial pain and trigeminal neuralgia can be a difficult thing to do. Your symptoms may prevent you from engaging fully in work and recreational activities. By locating the best New Jersey neurosurgeon and hospital to treat your trigeminal neuralgia, you can have a positive outcome and get back to your normal, pain-free lifestyle.
