title: Pain. Part 7: Trigeminal Neuralgia.
abstract: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is also known as 'tic douloureux' (in French, 'painful twitch'). It is a rare chronic facial pain syndrome, characterized by severe, brief, stabbing, 'electric shock-like 'recurrent pain attacks felt in one or more divisions of trigeminal nerve innervation areas. So intense is the elicited pain that TN has a significant effect on a sufferer's quality of life, rendering many patients unable to consider a future with the ongoing threat of recurrent pain. The aim of this article is to discuss the diagnosis and management of this disabling facial pain condition. CPD/Clinical Relevance: As general medical practitioners may struggle differentiating TN from toothache, primary care dentists have an important role in excluding odontogenic cause of pain, diagnosing TN and referring patients to a facial pain clinic for further investigations and multidisciplinary team management.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jurge
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000175:diagnosis; D018682:GABA Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018682:GABA Agents