title: Trigeminal neuralgia: unilateral episodic facial pain.
abstract: Trigeminal neuralgia is a rare cause of episodic unilateral facial pain and often in the initial presentation dental causes need to be eliminated, as it frequently presents in the lower trigeminal divisions. The pain description is characteristic of electric shock-like pain that is light-touch provoked, paroxysmal, and occurring daily; the condition can go into remission for weeks or months, however. The first-line drug is either carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine and has to be started in low doses. Over 70% of patients will initially obtain immediate relief. If efficacy or tolerability becomes a problem, then referral to a secondary care specialist should be made. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can determine if there is a symptomatic cause and whether surgery is indicated. Surgical options provide longest pain relief periods. Patients need to be given information about all treatment options so they can make a decision about treatment. This report is adapted from paineurope 2014; Issue 4, © Haymarket Medical Publications Ltd., and is presented with permission. paineurope is provided as a service to pain management by Mundipharma International, Ltd., and is distributed free of charge to health care professionals in Europe. Archival issues can be viewed via the Web site: www.paineurope.com , at which health professionals can find links to the original articles and request copies of the quarterly publication and access additional pain education and pain management resources.
authors.forename: Joanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zakrzewska
mesh_terms: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D002220:Carbamazepine
keywords: carbamazepine; oxcarbazepine; trigeminal neuralgia