“If someone famous had TN and spoke out, people would care.”
But even Salman Khan did—and it wasn’t enough.
By Aneeta Prem – CEO, TNA UK
Hundreds of our members have said to me:
“If someone famous had trigeminal neuralgia and spoke out, people would finally understand.”
Well, someone did. Twice.
In 2011, and again in June 2025, Salman Khan, one of the most globally recognised actors, revealed he has trigeminal neuralgia (TN). This rare neurological condition causes episodes of searing facial pain so intense it has been described as “the worst pain known to medicine.”
Despite Salman’s bravery, the world remains silent.
Why is that?
Understanding Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition that affects the fifth cranial nerve, which controls facial sensation. It causes sudden, intense bursts of pain that can feel like electric shocks or stabbing sensations. Talking, eating, brushing teeth, even the wind on the face can trigger unbearable pain.
For some, the cause is a visible vascular compression of the nerve, often seen on specialist MRI scans using FIESTA or CISS sequences. However, many people have no visible cause, and even high-quality imaging may not detect it.
This diagnostic uncertainty is a major reason TN remains misunderstood. Pain may be real, but if it’s not visible on a scan, some clinicians question it. That delay costs lives, dignity, and mental health.
Salman Khan: 70 Million Followers. Still No Awareness.
Salman Khan first disclosed his diagnosis with TN in 2011. He spoke again about it in Hindustan Times, June 2025, where he described his struggle with both TN and a brain aneurysm. He called the pain “electric shocks” and acknowledged how hard it had been to live with it.
“It’s the worst pain known to man.” — Salman Khan, 2025
With more than 70 million followers on Instagram, global recognition, and influence across South Asia, the Middle East, and the diaspora, one would expect his voice to spark change. Yet it didn’t. Why?
Because TN remains invisible. It isn’t featured in public health campaigns. It’s absent from mainstream medical education. And even when a celebrity raises the alarm, it doesn’t stay in the headlines.
The Hidden Impact of a Visible Silence
This silence isn’t benign. It has consequences.
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People are misdiagnosed — often for years.
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They’re given antidepressants or dental treatments that don’t work.
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They lose jobs, relationships, and sometimes the will to live.
One recent PubMed review (2023) found that up to 35% of people with TN report suicidal thoughts shortly after pain attacks. The emotional burden is profound, especially when the condition is doubted or dismissed.
At TNA UK, we receive desperate emails and calls from people whose pain has been ignored, misunderstood, or wrongly attributed to stress or mental health issues. In some cases, patients have had healthy teeth extracted because their GP or dentist assumed it was dental.
Being the CEO, I need to ensure people with TN are no longer dismissed. No one with a serious neurological condition should ever be told to “calm down” or “breathe through it.” We need recognition. We need reform.
TN Is Rare — But Its Impact Is Massive
TN is considered a rare disease, affecting approximately 4–13 people per 100,000. However, those living with it face:
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Long delays to diagnosis (often over 5 years)
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Huge mental health impact
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Financial hardship from private referrals or losing work
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Very little public or professional understanding
Even many medical students never learn about TN unless they go into specialist neurology.
This is a structural failure, not a niche concern.
What TNA UK Is Doing About It
At TNA UK, we’re campaigning to change that. We provide:
✅ Free helplines — run by people who live with TN
✅ Regional support groups — peer-led across the UK
✅ Clinician guidance — for GPs, dentists, and neurologists
✅ National webinars and conferences with global speakers
✅ Patient surveys — with the largest data set of its kind in the UK
We’ve seen how patients are left in pain for years, some contemplating suicide. This isn’t acceptable — and it isn’t inevitable. But we need your help.
What You Can Do Right Now
Share this article — and help put trigeminal neuralgia on the map
Tag @BeingSalmanKhan — his voice matters, and so does yours
Donate or volunteer — Every contribution helps us support the thousands of people still living in silence
If just a fraction of Salman Khan’s fans searched “trigeminal neuralgia” today, awareness would spike. The condition would finally enter the public discourse. That’s how change begins — one share at a time.
Final Word: Break the Silence, Together
Trigeminal neuralgia is devastating, misunderstood, and neglected. Even when the world’s biggest stars speak out, they are met with a shrug.
We cannot let this continue.
Our members were right. If someone famous spoke up, the world would care. Salman Khan did. Now it’s our turn to keep that voice alive.
Let’s raise awareness, demand research funding, improve diagnosis pathways, and ensure that TN is taken seriously in every clinical setting — from GP surgeries to global policy tables.
Together, we can break the silence.
Focus Keyphrase: Trigeminal Neuralgia Salman Khan
Tags: trigeminal neuralgia, rare disease, facial pain, Salman Khan, TNA UK, invisible illness, neurological conditions, health advocacy
Category: Patient Voices / Public Awareness / Global Health
