Description
Irritated fifth cranial causing severe, fleeting episodes of facial pain. Lightly touching the face can cause shooting pain. Most often no underlying cause is found. Sometimes it is related to multiple sclerosis, a tumor, or pressure on the nerve. It occurs more frequently in older women.
Symptoms
Very painful sharp electric-like facial pain, the pain lasts a few seconds or minutes, pain is usually only on one side of the face, pain around the eye, pain around the cheek. The pain may be triggered by touch or sounds or by normal daily activities such as shaving.
Tests
Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment
Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and blood tests may help rule out other conditions
Specialists:
Internal Medicine, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Pediatrics, Family Practice
Workup:
A history and physical exam will be performed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and blood tests may help rule out other conditions
Specialists:
Internal Medicine, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Pediatrics, Family Practice
Treatment
Therapy is aimed at reducing the intensity of pain and the frequency of attacks. The medications prescribed include: anti-seizure drugs (carbamazepine/Tegretol, gabapentin/Neurontin, phenytoin/Dilantin), migraine medicines (sumatriptan/Imitrex), and/or tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline/Elavil, nortriptyline/Pamelor). Some patients may need surgery.