title: Trigeminal neuralgia: an overview.
abstract: Facial pain is a perplexing problem confronting all who practice the healing arts. The purpose of this article is to concentrate on one aspect of facial pain--trigeminal neuralgia. An overview of this entity is presented by demonstrating current concepts in its etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Classically, trigeminal neuralgia has been described as a paroxysmal, lancinating, knifelike pain which is limited to the anatomic pathways of the fifth cranial nerve. It is a chronic facial pain that is amenable to medical and surgical treatment when correctly diagnosed. A knowledge of the anatomy of the fifth cranial nerve is essential for a correct diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia. A description of the anatomy is not within the scope of this article, and the reader is referred to any of the standard anatomy textbooks for review.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000150:complications; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000601:surgery; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002220:Carbamazepine; D010672:Phenytoin