Trigeminal neuralgia is a clinical condition involving the trigeminal nerve, causing severe unilateral pain over regions supplied by the branches of the trigeminal nerve. The disease is also known by the names such as Tic Doloreux, Hunt’s Neuralgia, and Suicide disease.

Trigeminal neuralgia commonly affects people in their fifties or sixties. Females are slightly more prone to the disease than males.

What causes Trigeminal neuralgia?

The exact cause of the disease is not known.

In some cases, the compression of the trigeminal nerve (the nerve that transmits sensation from face to brain) or Gasserain ganglion by factors including aberrant blood vessels or aneurysms, tumors, herpes zoster, cholesteatoma, multiple sclerosis, etc. leads to the formation of the disease.

Risk factors for Trigeminal neuralgia

People in their fifth and sixth decades are more prone to the disease. In individuals affected with multiple sclerosis, there is more possibility to develop diseases in young adults. The other common risk factors are:

• High blood pressure.
• Arteriosclerotic changes in blood vessels.
• Family history.

Clinical features of trigeminal neuralgia.

The disease is characterised by:

• Pain – one-sided, brief electric shock-like pain with symptoms-free intervals.
• Pain starts spontaneously and lasts for a few seconds to a few hours per episode.
• Pain starts from the retroauricular region and spreads towards the orbit, ears, and chin.
• The pain is triggered by speaking, swallowing, touching the face, brushing, shaving, a gentle breeze, blowing the nose, and smiling.
• The common trigger points are the ala of the nose, gums, hard palate, lips, cheeks, tongue, chin, etc.

Trigeminal neuralgia in Ayurveda.

In Ayurveda classics, the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia can be correlated with the disease Anantavata explained in Shiro rogas. The vitiation of tridosha with the predominance of vata dosha starts irritating the manya nadi and produces severe, unbearable pain at the back of the neck, eyeball, forehead, and root of the nose, leading to the pulsation of the upper jaw.

Management of Trigeminal neuralgia in Ayurveda

Ayurvedic science believes in a combination of body, mind and spirit and it’s always necessary to treat all the three aspects in order to achieve balance. The treatment for Trigeminal Neuralgia aims at restoring these balances by removing the factors that causes body imbalances.

The disease can be managed by adopting a vata pacifying and nourishing (brimhana) line of treatment. The therapeutic procedures include:

• Oleation therapy: Application of medicated oil or ghee externally or internally.
• Virechana: This is a type in Panchakarma procedure where the body toxins are flushed through controlled purgation method
• Nasyam: Instilling medicated oil into the nostrils.
• Murdha tailam: Therapeutic procedures like siro basti, siro abhyanga, siro pichu, etc.
• Swedana: Pouring medicated ghee or milk on the head for a specific period.
• Karna poorana – Holding the medicated oil or decoction in the ear for a prescribed period.
• Gandoosha – Gargling for 5 or 10 minutes with medicated oil or decoction.
• Lepanam – Application of medicated powder on the forehead.
• Yoga Therapy – The patient is advised to sit in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. Yoga calms the mind, cleans the respiration and gets relief from  aches
• Panchakarma – By practicing certain massage therapies like Shirodhara (profound impact on the nervous system), Shiro abhyanga and Pichu, vitiated vatadi doshas can be normalized.

Along with this, intake of internal ayurvedic medicine supplements is of utmost necessity for the proper management of the disease.

Do’s and don’ts

• Avoid cold winds and exposure to cold.
• Avoid fried, dry, and cold food items.
• Drink plenty of water
• Do not skip food.
• Ensure adequate sleep.
• Intake of protein-rich diets such as soups of a wild variety of animals, medicated milk, ghee, and sweets made of ghee and jaggery.
• Exercise regularly
• Apply suitable oil over the scalp and massage gently.
• Practice nasya, karnapoorana, gandusha etc as per the instructions of physician
• Avoid sitting or standing with looking downwards for a long period.

Conclusion

According to the holistic science of health, Ayurveda mainly focussed on person’s health by analysing the overall health issues and then prescribing a vital diet for further functional activities for better lifestyles.

At Ayurclinic, we offer a thorough and hassle-free consultation, which properly understands the origin of the pain. Through proper ayurvedic massage therapies and detox treatments, you can leave the pain aside with ease.

If you experience facial pain, mainly prolonged, recurring pain please don’t forget to see the doctor. For booking a treatment or knowing more about the aspects of pain management, get in touch with us or call on +61 3 9078 2940