Jason Chiu, MD
Pain Management Specialist & Anesthesiologist located in Clifton, NJ & Tenafly, NJ
Brushing your teeth, putting on makeup, or any stimulation on your face causes pain similar to an electric shock? You may be experiencing trigeminal neuralgia.
At The Painless Center, we specialize in diagnosing and treating this intense facial nerve sickness. Our professional team can help you stop avoiding some daily activities to combat the discomfort. Meet the symptoms and our available treatments in New Jersey.
Understanding Trigeminal Neuralgia
Firstly, what is trigeminal neuralgia? We describe it as a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which is located in front of the ear and behind the eye, and spreads to the upper, middle, and lower parts of your face.
The Pain Causes
Trigeminal neuralgia cases have a common origin: a blood vessel compression of the trigeminal nerve in the brain base. Whether it is an artery or a vein, the contact causes pressure on the nerve and prevents it from working correctly.
Just because it is the common cause does not mean it is the only one; trigeminal neuralgia can be the consequence of multiple sclerosis, a tumor pressing the affected area, or also due to a surgical procedure. The causes will be checked in the diagnosis; however, there are risk factors to consider, such as:
- Gender: Women are more likely than men to suffer from trigeminal neuralgia
- Age: Most of the cases are from people older than fifty years.
- Other conditions, such as hypertension, multiple sclerosis, and herpes zoster, can cause neuralgia.
Identify The Symptoms
The pain begins with mild and short periods, but as time passes, the periods extend, and the discomfort can be longer and appear more frequently. However, a headache is not the only symptom; here are more warning signs:
- A burning sensation in the surrounding areas, such as cheeks, teeth, lips, and eyes.
- Shock-like pain through the nerve branches.
- Facial spasms on the affected side.
- Pain while sleeping.
Effective Treatments at The Painless Center
Our goal with the treatments is to help you keep a normal life without the stabbing pain. Your personalized wellness plan will be designed to reduce the side effects of the trigeminal neuralgia.
We explain our treatment in three stages:
- The first one is using painkillers to manage the pain. The analgesics are administered orally and are used to tame the intense and burning pain that trigeminal neuralgia can produce.
- If the medication is not working, our staff can administer anesthetic injections directly to the affected nerve to block the irritation. With the nerve blocked, the pain signals sent by the brain won’t be transmitted. As a result, the chronic facial pain will end, and consequently, the sleep disturbances will disappear.
- The last stage looks for a permanent solution with radiofrequency ablation, a minimally invasive surgical procedure to burn the nerve fibers responsible for pain. During the surgical process, we seek to disrupt the pain signals sent to the brain.
Regenerative Medicine in New Jersey
Experience the transformative impact of treating your trigeminal neuralgia with The Painless Center, where our innovative procedures can eliminate the daily pain. Our expert team of specialists, led by Dr. Chiu, combines advanced scientific knowledge with personalized care to address chronic pain and restore your quality of life without invasive surgery. Don’t let discomfort limit your potential any longer—schedule your personalized consultation today by calling our Clifton or Tenafly, New Jersey, locations.