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Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
(ms) is the most common, disabling, neurological condition, to
affect young adults in the world today.
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Health
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Trigeminal Neuralgia
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What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
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Trigeminal neuralgia is one of the most painful conditions
ever described; inducing crippling, shock-like stabbing and/or
throbbing facial pain. Typically, this is on one side of the face,
although in very rare instances, both sides may be affected. When
both sides of the face are involved, it is known as bilateral
trigeminal neuralgia. Trigeminal neuralgia gains its name from the name of the nerve
involved, i.e. the trigeminal nerve and also from "neuralgia"
meaning a severe stabbing pain often related to a nerve.
What Will Trigger a Bout of Pain?
During bouts of trigeminal neuralgia ordinary stimuli such as
touch, talking, eating or even the light brush
of your own hair against your face will initiate bouts of very
intense, burning, electric-shock-like pain, lasting from several
seconds to minutes at a time.The period of time when the pain subsides are generally very
short-lived, typically from a few seconds to a few minutes before
another stimulus and therefore another excruciatingly painful
attack. |
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What Causes Trigeminal Neuralgia?
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The exact cause of trigeminal neuralgia still remains a
mystery. Some authorities on cranial nerve conditions such as
trigeminal neuralgia, suspect that compression of the
trigeminal nerve by a vein or an artery is the main cause although
direct injury to the trigeminal nerve, the 5th of the 12 pairs of
cranial nerves, can also cause the onset of this type of neuralgia.
Other authorities cite the Herpes virus (HHV6) as the cause of
trigeminal neuralgia. |
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Nerve Affected
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Affecting the 5th cranial nerve, the relatively rare
condition falls under the umbrella term of facial neuralgia.
Normally, in medical literature, the trigeminal nerve is referred to
as 'cranial nerve V', the 'V' standing for the Roman numeral
for 5.
The trigeminal nerve branches into 3 subsets: |
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V1 - Ophthalamic - this 1st branch supplies the
eye, forehead and nose.
V2 - Maxillary - the 2nd branch of the trigeminal
nerve, this supplies the upper teeth, gum and lip, the cheek,
lower eyelid and the side of the nose.
V3 - Mandibular - the 3rd branch of the trigeminal
nerve supplies the area of the lower teeth, gum, lower lip and
jaw. |
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Summary of Proposed Causes of Trigeminal
Neuralgia
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Summary of causes thought to be responsible for trigeminal
neuralgia: |
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Pressure
exerted by an artery of vein on any of the areas involved in
control of the trigeminal nerve (Cranial V)
Multiple
Sclerosis. Approx. 5 - 10% of patients with MS experience
trigeminal neuralgia. This is thought to be due to
demyelination of the trigeminal nerve nucleus within the
brainstem, or the trigeminal nerve itself.
Herpes
Simplex virus - HHV6 is thought by some authorities to be
the organism responsible for trigeminal neuralgia.
Tumour -
extremely rare. Neoplastic (new) growth - i.e. - the tumor,
exerts more and more pressure on the trigeminal nerve or the
trigeminal nerve nucleus.
Physical
injury or irritation - perhaps due to a blow to the head
area or from dental procedures |
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