What Is Trigeminal Neuralgia? What Causes Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Trigeminal Neuralgia, also known as Tic Douloureaux, is a nerve disorder that causes abrupt, searing, electric-shock-like facial pains, most commonly the pain involves the lower face and jaw, but symptoms may appear near the nose, ears, eyes or lips. Many experts say trigeminal neuralgia is the most unbearably painful human condition. Neuralgia is severe pain along the course of a nerve. The pain occurs because of a change in neurological structure or function due to irritation or damage of a nerve. Approximately 1 in every 15,000 people is estimated to suffer from trigeminal neuralgia. About 45,000 people have trigeminal neuralgia in the USA. It is thought to affect about one million people worldwide.
