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Suggest Treatment For Trigeminal Neuralgia
Question: Hello, I have been diagnosed with sensory trigmenial neuropathy on the right side of my face. I started to get the feelings in my face the night after a night out and cant help but think my drink got spiked. However, my issue is that the right side of my face looks really fatty and chubby because of the neuropathy and its bringing my confidence down. Are there any medications to reduce the nerve pain so the inflammation goes away and so my cheek goes back to its normal looking self? Also, is it possible to get this condition from a spiked drink? Thanks.
Brief Answer:
Tegretol is the treatment of choice
Detailed Answer:
Hello. I have been through your question and understand your concern.
Trigeminal neuralgia is quite troublesome but a benign condition. It is not caused by external factors (like spiked water or else) but triggered by these factors. The cause generally is a neurovascular conflict after the trigeminal nerve exits the brainstem. No face swelling is associated with that. The treatment of choice for the facial pain is Carbamazepine (Tegretol). You can discuss regarding this with your doctor for evaluation and prescription.
Hope this helps with your question, I wish you the best health.
Tegretol is the treatment of choice
Detailed Answer:
Hello. I have been through your question and understand your concern.
Trigeminal neuralgia is quite troublesome but a benign condition. It is not caused by external factors (like spiked water or else) but triggered by these factors. The cause generally is a neurovascular conflict after the trigeminal nerve exits the brainstem. No face swelling is associated with that. The treatment of choice for the facial pain is Carbamazepine (Tegretol). You can discuss regarding this with your doctor for evaluation and prescription.
Hope this helps with your question, I wish you the best health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
Thanks, is Trigmenial neuralgia and sensory trigmenial neuralgia the same? Because I have sensory trigmenial neuralgia and I know trigmenial neuralgia causes stabbing pains which I havent got. Also, I keep thinking someone put a type of drug in my drink which may have caused this as my doctor did say after drink spiking some people experience neurological problems. Also I dont understand why the side of my face looks different could my muscles be involved also which may have weakened to make the side of my face look bigger? Although I can move my muscles so my doctor said I have no muscle weakness.... i dont understand why the side of my face looks different though. Thanks.
Brief Answer:
I recommend a neurological exam
Detailed Answer:
Hello again. Trigeminal neuralgia and sensory trigeminal neuralgia is the same, and generally the diagnosis is set by the facial pain which should be stabbing. It is an affection of the trigeminal nerve, which is mainly a sensory nerve. While the strength of the facial muscles is due to facial nerve, which is another nerve. That is why you dont have any facial weakness.
I think you have an atypical facial pain. To better understand its cause and eventual treatment you need a detailed neurological examination.
Drugs in the drink do not cause trigeminal neuralgia, so I would exclude this option.
I recommend you to have a neurological exam, so can better define the treatment plan.
Wishing you good health
I recommend a neurological exam
Detailed Answer:
Hello again. Trigeminal neuralgia and sensory trigeminal neuralgia is the same, and generally the diagnosis is set by the facial pain which should be stabbing. It is an affection of the trigeminal nerve, which is mainly a sensory nerve. While the strength of the facial muscles is due to facial nerve, which is another nerve. That is why you dont have any facial weakness.
I think you have an atypical facial pain. To better understand its cause and eventual treatment you need a detailed neurological examination.
Drugs in the drink do not cause trigeminal neuralgia, so I would exclude this option.
I recommend you to have a neurological exam, so can better define the treatment plan.
Wishing you good health
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
thank you. One last question my pain is a constant tingling pain in my teeth and whener i touch the right side of my face i feel pain in my teeth/gum. is this still trigmenial neuralgia as my doctor calls it sensory neuropathy.
Brief Answer:
It is not trigeminal neuralgia
Detailed Answer:
Hello. In this case I dont think this is a trigeminal neuralgia. This seems just a sensory neuropathy in one of the branches of the trigeminal nerve. But this does not make it trigeminal neuralgia.
This is a good news, because in your case it should be self limited in a few days, while TN is a serious condition.
Wish you the best health
It is not trigeminal neuralgia
Detailed Answer:
Hello. In this case I dont think this is a trigeminal neuralgia. This seems just a sensory neuropathy in one of the branches of the trigeminal nerve. But this does not make it trigeminal neuralgia.
This is a good news, because in your case it should be self limited in a few days, while TN is a serious condition.
Wish you the best health
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
I have had this for nearly 4 months. I do not know what has caused this... I still do believe this has been caused by drink spiking. Will this go away? Also, If I do have minor weakness in my muscles in the right side of my face from neuropathy is there any possible way to make them go back to normal?? This is because I feel like my motor nerves have been affected.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Brief Answer:
you definitely need a neurological physical exam
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
The information you are giving (which i assume you have been consulted to a neurologist before) are becoming contradictory. As I explained before facial weakness is due to facial nerve, which is another nerve. These two nerves have different diseases. So I highly recommend a detailed neurological physical exam, which would better specify the need for further examination, like MRI. Wish you good health.
you definitely need a neurological physical exam
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
The information you are giving (which i assume you have been consulted to a neurologist before) are becoming contradictory. As I explained before facial weakness is due to facial nerve, which is another nerve. These two nerves have different diseases. So I highly recommend a detailed neurological physical exam, which would better specify the need for further examination, like MRI. Wish you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Thanks. sorry im just thinking of possible reasons to why my face has changed. Also, I had an MRI it came back all normal.
Brief Answer:
trigeminal vs facial neuropathy
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
I think you should first differentiate between a trigeminal and facial involvement. This can be easily done by a neurologist. Your pain directs towards a trigeminal involvement. But it is an atypical type. While an eventual weakness toward a facial nerve involvement. If the teeth hurts it could also be a simple tooth infection with swelling and pain and need just a dentist consult.
But, first you should see a neurologist for physical exam to differentiate and assure you whether you should get any treatment or not.
trigeminal vs facial neuropathy
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
I think you should first differentiate between a trigeminal and facial involvement. This can be easily done by a neurologist. Your pain directs towards a trigeminal involvement. But it is an atypical type. While an eventual weakness toward a facial nerve involvement. If the teeth hurts it could also be a simple tooth infection with swelling and pain and need just a dentist consult.
But, first you should see a neurologist for physical exam to differentiate and assure you whether you should get any treatment or not.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Ok thanks. I am going to visit the neurologist next week. I have been to the dentist who have said my teeth and gums are fine. Do you think because the nerves are hurting in my gums it is causing my face to look a tiny bit bigger?
Brief Answer:
The neurological examination is the best next step
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
If you would have any dental problem like apical infection, then its inflammation would eventually involve the face as well with swelling. But since your dentist has ruled out any dental problem, then I think a second Neurological opinion is the best choice to ascertain or definitely exclude the first diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia, which in my opinion is less likely.
So I encourage you to see the Neurologist who will begin some treatment in my opinion.
Wish you the best health.
The neurological examination is the best next step
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
If you would have any dental problem like apical infection, then its inflammation would eventually involve the face as well with swelling. But since your dentist has ruled out any dental problem, then I think a second Neurological opinion is the best choice to ascertain or definitely exclude the first diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia, which in my opinion is less likely.
So I encourage you to see the Neurologist who will begin some treatment in my opinion.
Wish you the best health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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