Diagnosis and treatment of patients with trigeminal neuralgia.
BACKGROUND
The authors review the literature regarding the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, or TN. They also describe a patient with the disease.


METHODS
A MEDLINE search was conducted to identify articles published within the last 10 years regarding current thinking on the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of TN. The authors also reviewed historic articles to gather information about the initial discovery and descriptions of this condition.


RESULTS
The authors identified more than 50 articles on the topic. Generally, there was concordance regarding the diagnosis of this condition; however, some questions and controversy exist regarding the pathogenesis and treatment modality of choice. The authors relied on the most representative and complete articles for this review article.


CONCLUSIONS
TN is the most common form of neuralgia, and patients often visit several clinicians with complaints of pain. Clinicians must recognize this condition and diagnose it correctly for patients to receive proper referral and therapy for this relatively treatable condition.
Bagheri
Shahrokh C
SC
Emory University School of Medicine, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Atlanta, GA, USA. sbagher@hotmail.com
Farhidvash
Fariba
F
Perciaccante
Vincent J
VJ
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D002220:Carbamazepine