Trigeminal Nerve Treatment

1. Medications:

Initial stage of treatment is drug therapy for one or two months. The effectiveness of drugs in controlling the pain can help clinical diagnosis.
But medications can only be a temporary solution, not a permanent cure for the true cause of trigeminal neuralgia that is: external factors compressing on the nerve and make it short-circuit.

Generally doctor will consider medications for

1. Its effective pain control
2. Without intolerable side effects to patients: sleepy and drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, etc.
3. Patient do not want procedure or surgery
4. iv) Patient are not suitable for procedure or surgery
   
   

Commonly used drugs include:

• Antiepileptic drugs
• Pain medication
• Antidepressants
• Muscle relaxants
  
  

2. Interventional Procedures:

• Trigeminal nerve injection therapy
• Semilunar ganglion injection of alcohol treatment
• Semilunar ganglion radio-frequency electrocoagulation therapy
• Balloon pressure for semilunar ganglion compression
  
  

3. Microsurgery

Microvascular decompression of trigeminal nerve:

• Nowadays the most commonly used and effective treatment for trigeminal neuralgia
• Under microscope, neurosurgeon will separate the blood vessels from compressing the trigeminal nerve, thus removing the origin of short-circuit that cause pain.
• Operation required general anesthesia
• Wound, of few cm long, is mainly behind the ears and the hair line.
  
  

4. Radiosurgery

• Cyberknife radiosurgery for those patients who are not suitable for procedure or surgery