Facial Pain Awareness Month is observed every October. The Facial Pain Association (FPA) raises awareness about facial pain during this month by sharing information, stories, and promoting events.
Facial pain can range from acute to chronic and can be caused by tissue or nerve injury. One of the conditions that is recognized during the month is trigeminal neuralgia (TN), a well-known facial pain syndrome caused by nerve dysfunction.
Often called the suicide disease, TN pain may range from sudden, severe, and stabbing to a more constant, aching, burning sensation. Any light or normal touch can act as a trigger for an episode of intense facial pain such as washing the face, shaving, putting on makeup, brushing teeth, eating, drinking, or even the feeling of cold air on the face.
The condition is typified by attacks that stop for a period and then return, but the condition can be progressive. The attacks often worsen over time, with fewer and shorter pain-free periods before they recur. Eventually, the pain-free intervals disappear and medication to control the pain becomes less effective. The disorder is not fatal, but can be debilitating.
TN is often hard to diagnose. It can be caused by multiple sclerosis, benign tumors, prior inflammation, shingles, and trauma. The most common cause of TN is due to a blood vessel pulsating against the trigeminal nerve at the brainstem.
At Columbus CyberKnife, we treat TN with the CyberKnife® system. CyberKnife is an effective treatment option for those dealing with the severe and excruciating facial pain caused by TN. The system delivers very precise radiation beams to a targeted segment of the trigeminal nerve to interrupt pain-causing fibers. Treatment is a one-time, outpatient procedure and is completed within an hour. TN does not have a cure, but pain can be reduced or eliminated in patients who are treated with CyberKnife.
If you, or someone you love, have been diagnosed with the condition, or you have questions regarding TN treatment, please contact Columbus CyberKnife today.