The trigeminal nerve carries sensation from the face, mouth and teeth. When the nerve is damaged or diseased, pain may occur in the area supplied by the affected part of the nerve.
The pain may follow facial trauma, shingles, surgery, dental treatment or another neurological condition. Sometimes the exact cause is difficult to establish.
This condition is different from classical TN, although a person may describe both continuous pain and short shock-like episodes.
Diagnosis is based on the history, examination and evidence of trigeminal nerve dysfunction. A clinician will ask about injuries, shingles, operations and dental procedures.
Dental examination may be needed when pain is felt in the teeth or jaw. Neurology, oral medicine, maxillofacial or pain services may be involved.
Imaging or other tests may be used when a structural or neurological cause needs to be investigated.
Treatment is individual and may include medicines used for neuropathic pain, topical treatment for localised symptoms and pain-management support. Psychological therapies may help with sleep, distress, activity and the impact of persistent pain alongside medical care. Their use does not mean that the pain is imagined.
Further surgery or irreversible dental treatment should not be presented as a routine answer when the source of pain is uncertain.
Do not start, stop or change prescribed medication without clinical advice.
Persistent altered sensation can affect eating, face care, sleep and confidence. Protect numb skin from extreme heat, cold and accidental injury.
Keep a record of pain, numbness, triggers, treatment and the effect on daily life.
Persistent pain and altered sensation can affect confidence, sleep, mood and social contact.
Support for sleep, anxiety, low mood and coping can sit alongside medical treatment. It does not mean the pain is imagined.
If you feel unable to keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent mental-health help that is not an immediate emergency, use NHS 111 and select the mental-health option where available.
No. Trigeminal neuropathic pain is often continuous and accompanied by altered sensation, while TN usually causes brief shock-like attacks.
Nerve injury can follow dental or facial procedures, but the timing and examination must be assessed carefully.
No. Pain and reduced sensation can occur together when a sensory nerve is damaged.
Other facial pain conditions and useful information
This information is for general guidance and does not replace professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional.
What 567 people affected by trigeminal neuralgia and facial pain told TNA UK Pain is usually recorded at the point of care. Much of its impact happens somewhere else: at […]
