Do you experience a sharp and intense pain that leaves you breathless? If so, you may be suffering from trigeminal neuralgia. Knowing what causes an outbreak of this nerve condition is the first step to avoiding its debilitating pain. Here are 12 of the most common triggers of trigeminal neuralgia. The most common cause of trigeminal neuralgia is a blood vessel that presses on the trigeminal nerve. Rare causes include multiple sclerosis or tumors.
This nerve condition is more common in people over 50 and is more common in women than men. Stress is an important intensifier of all kinds of pain. It is not known precisely why it acts in the body the way it does, but it can trigger and increase trigeminal nerve pain. Alcohol interacts with blood vessels and can also cause dehydration, which may be why it is a profound trigger for trigeminal neuralgia. Even the slightest touch can lead to a painful episode. The combination of water on the face, pulling the hair while shaving and the touch of the razor can cause the pain to intensify.
Many people with trigeminal neuralgia cannot have shower jets, no matter how soft they are, directly on the face. Even the lightest touch of a makeup brush can stimulate the trigeminal nerve. If you experience the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia but need dental treatment, contact us today. Our friendly dentists are experts in treating patients with very sensitive and painful conditions. We can suggest some modifications to help you. In some cases, pain attacks may worsen or become more frequent during certain periods.
People can also have prolonged periods without pain (remission). One of the challenges of trigeminal neuralgia is the inability to predict when the next outbreak will occur. Especially severe outbreaks can produce so many pain attacks that the pain feels almost constant. In severe or prolonged cases of trigeminal neuralgia, acute pain or slight numbness may develop in the affected area of the face. The exact cause of trigeminal neuralgia is not fully understood. In most cases, it is caused by a blood vessel pressing on the trigeminal nerve near the base of the brain.
This compression can damage the nerve and cause excessive neurological activity. The reason why a blood vessel ends up pressing against the trigeminal nerve is not fully understood. If you injure your trigeminal nerve through oral or sinus surgery, stroke, or facial trauma, you may feel pain in your facial nerve similar to the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia.
