Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’ve suffered with trigeminal nerve irritation for some time, or have found non-surgical treatments to be ineffective. When you’re facing the debilitating pain and discomfort caused by trigeminal nerve irritation, you want long-lasting treatment options that won’t alter your lifestyle.
Luckily, with advances in medicine and a greater understanding of these types of neural conditions, a world of possibilities has opened up for most sufferers. Neurosurgeons are now able to offer you more options than ever for permanent cessation of trigeminal nerve irritation and pain, from minimally invasive radiology-based procedures to moderately invasive, but highly effective surgeries.
What is Trigeminal Nerve Irritation?
Often presenting with intermittent, shooting or stabbing pains on one side of the face, trigeminal nerve pain can be incredibly debilitating. With a number of causes for trigeminal nerve irritation, ranging from traumatic injuries to blood vessel-nerve crossover, it is no wonder that this can be a confusing condition to begin to untangle.
Many sufferers experience migraine-like symptoms with the pain localizing behind their eye or in the temple. Others may experience electric shock-like pain. While not dangerous in and of itself, trigeminal nerve irritation can deeply affect a person’s quality of life and their ability to function normally on a day-to-day basis.
The First Step
As with any medical decision, it’s important to find a doctor who will listen to your concerns and work with you to find the best solution for the complexity and severity of your condition and your lifestyle. You will, in reality, have a team of specialists working with you, from your general practitioner to your facial pain specialist to the surgeon who will perform your trigeminal nerve irritation surgery. To ensure a successful procedure and recovery, don’t be afraid to ask questions and always listen to any “red flags” that may pop up. Better safe than sorry!
What a Neurosurgeon Can Do For You
Finding a good neurosurgeon is as easy as asking around, and once you’ve found him/her, you can start your road to relief. Your neurosurgeon, along with your facial pain specialist, will be able to help guide you toward the procedure that will best fit your lifestyle and the severity and cause of your trigeminal nerve irritation. All of the following treatments can be carried out by a seasoned neurosurgeon with minimal to just moderately invasive surgical procedures — most of them outpatient.
Microvascular Decompression
This moderately invasive, but highly effective procedure allows for complete preservation of nerve function and sensation. The surgeon will remove a small portion of bone at the base of the skull to gain access to the nerve area.
A tiny Teflon “sponge” will then be placed between the nerve and offending blood vessel, absorbing the impact that the blood flow was creating, without interfering with either the nerve’s function nor that of the vessel.
Recovery is fairly quick and trigeminal nerve irritation and pain is typically eliminated immediately.
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
The least invasive of the “permanent” procedures, Gamma Knife Radiosurgery has been found to be highly effective for many suffering from trigeminal nerve irritation. Through the use of around 200 tiny focused beams of radiation, portions of the trigeminal nerve are targeted, destroying the tissue creating the pain and discomfort.
This is a great option for those with co-morbid medical conditions, as it does not require a craniotomy or other invasive techniques. While the recovery period is virtually non-existent, this technique does take longer for patients to experience relief. Because of this, it is not as ideal for those who need to see instant relief from their procedure.
Percutaneous Rhizotomy
A minimally invasive procedure, many people find relief from their trigeminal nerve irritation through percutaneous rhizotomy. Under general anesthesia, a needle is placed through the cheek and into the trigeminal nerve. A balloon is then expanded against the nerve, effectively blocking sensation.
Most people experience some level of facial numbness that may or may not improve over time. This procedure is highly effective for eliminating facial pain from trigeminal nerve irritation almost immediately.
Pain Stimulator Placement
One of the oldest surgical forms of treating trigeminal nerve irritation, pain stimulator placement still proves to be an effective means of controlling and even eliminating the associated pain and discomfort that is otherwise unresponsive to other treatments. Through the use of permanently inserted electrodes, nerve impulses to the brain are disrupted, alleviating the subsequent pain.
These electrodes can be implanted through a moderately invasive procedure under general anesthesia and recovery time tends to be short. The pain relief is almost instantaneous, allowing the patient to return to their normal routines fairly quickly.
The number of choices may seem daunting, but it will become clear which will be the most effective for you as you explore all of your options, weighing the pros and cons of each. With a well-documented health history and battery of tests, you and your team of doctors should be able to choose the procedure that will help you return to your life — pain-free.
