Trigeminal Neuralgia on BBC News

Trigeminal Neuralgia on BBC News: Real Life Impact

Trigeminal neuralgia on BBC News has brought long overdue attention to a condition that can dismantle ordinary life in seconds. For many people living with trigeminal neuralgia and severe facial pain, the coverage was not just “awareness”. It was recognition. It showed the public what patients have tried to explain for years: this is not a toothache, not stress, and not something you can simply push through.

The BBC Wales report focused on the lived experience of Gerwyn Tumelty, a Trigeminal Neuralgia Association UK member, and also included my own story. Between those two journeys sits the reality of trigeminal neuralgia: the pain, the triggers, the diagnostic delay, the mental toll, and the urgent need for earlier understanding in GP and dental settings.

This article explains what the BBC story revealed, and what to do next if you suspect trigeminal neuralgia or unexplained severe facial pain.

Why trigeminal neuralgia on BBC News matters

Media coverage can change outcomes when it is accurate. When the public understands trigeminal neuralgia, three practical things follow.

First, patients recognise patterns and seek help sooner. Second, families take the condition seriously, which reduces isolation and disbelief at home. Third, it reminds professionals, especially in primary care and dentistry, that facial pain is not always dental, and persistent unexplained symptoms deserve a neurological lens.

For a condition that many people have never heard of until they are living with it, mainstream reporting is not a luxury. It is a route to earlier diagnosis and safer care.

shows what severe facial pain looks like

Gerwyn described attacks that felt like a screwdriver being driven into the side of his face. His children became used to him leaving the table mid-meal because a piece of food could trigger agony. Those details land because they are ordinary. They are what makes trigeminal neuralgia so disabling. Pain arrives during life, not outside it.

Like many people, Gerwyn’s pain was triggered by everyday actions. Eating. Touch. A gust of wind. Trigeminal neuralgia often does that. It can punish the basic routines that most people take for granted.

After neurosurgery in 2019, his facial pain improved. Yet the BBC report also made a point that is often missed. Even when physical pain reduces, the psychological imprint can remain. Years of fear, unpredictability, and survival mode do not vanish overnight. Gerwyn later spoke about low mood and dark thoughts returning, and the turning point that came when he opened up to friends.

That honesty matters. It reflects what many people living with severe pain experience: not only the sensation of pain, but the way it can narrow life, increase loneliness, and erode hope.

What trigeminal neuralgia is, in plain English

Trigeminal neuralgia is a disorder affecting the trigeminal nerve, the main sensory nerve of the face. In classic cases, the nerve becomes irritated, often due to compression by a nearby blood vessel inside the skull.

The result can be sudden attacks of severe pain, typically described as electric shocks, stabbing, or lightning-like sensations. Some people also live with ongoing background pain between attacks.

Attacks can last seconds or minutes and may occur repeatedly across a day.

Common triggers people report

Many people report attacks triggered by:

Brushing teeth
Eating or chewing
Washing the face
Shaving or applying make-up
Talking
Cold wind or a slight breeze

These triggers are one reason trigeminal neuralgia can be so life limiting. They are not unusual activities. They are basic parts of daily living.

Why is trigeminal neuralgia often mistaken for a toothache

One reason trigeminal neuralgia is frequently misunderstood is location. Pain can sit in the jaw, teeth, cheek, or around the mouth. People often seek dental help first because that is the logical place to go.

Sometimes dental work is necessary. Sometimes it is not. When repeated dental checks show no clear cause, or procedures do not relieve the pain, a neurological cause should be considered.

This is not about blaming dentistry or general practice. It is about pattern recognition and referral pathways. People should not have to endure years of investigations that do not match the problem.

My experience of diagnostic delay and why it matters

In the BBC report I described living with severe facial pain that felt like lightning through my face. It took seven years to be diagnosed, and I was told there was nothing wrong with me. Like many patients, I initially believed the pain was dental and had a wisdom tooth removed. Without the correct diagnosis, that could have continued.

I live with bilateral trigeminal neuralgia, which means pain can occur on both sides of the face. I underwent microvascular decompression surgery, as Gerwyn did, but it was not successful for me. I still manage triggers, including cold wind in winter.

I share this because diagnostic delay is not just inconvenient. It can change the course of a life. It can also push people towards unnecessary interventions, missed work, and a level of isolation that becomes a second condition on top of the pain.

The mental toll is real and needs proper support

Severe facial pain is not only physical. It is exhausting, frightening, and often invisible. Many people stop going out. Some stop eating properly because chewing becomes a risk. Some avoid speaking because talking can trigger pain. It is common for people to feel lonely or ashamed because they do not want to be seen as dramatic or difficult.

As a charity, we hear from people whose pain has taken over their lives. We also hear from people who have struggled emotionally, including people who have had suicidal thoughts. That is why support is not optional. It is part of safe care.

If you are struggling, please speak to someone. In the UK, you can contact Samaritans on 116 123, or call 999 if you are in immediate danger. If you are under NHS care, tell your GP or specialist team that pain is affecting your mental wellbeing. You are not wasting anyone’s time.

What to do if you suspect trigeminal neuralgia or severe facial pain

If you think you may have trigeminal neuralgia, it helps to go to your GP with clear, structured information. You do not need perfect terminology. You need a clear pattern.

Practical steps that help

Track your symptoms for two weeks
Note the timing, triggers, which side of the face, and how long attacks last.
Describe the pain accurately
People often say “toothache” because that is the closest word. If your pain is shock-like, stabbing, or lightning-like, say that plainly.
Explain what triggers it
Brushing, eating, touch, wind, talking. These details matter.
Document any dental findings
If a dentist has checked and found no clear cause, mention it.
Ask about neurological assessment
It is reasonable to ask whether trigeminal neuralgia or another neuropathic facial pain condition should be considered.

This is not self-diagnosis. It is clarity. It helps the clinician take the correct next step.

For GPs and dentists: practical recognition pointers

Trigeminal neuralgia should be considered when a patient reports:

Sudden, severe, shock-like facial pain
Short attacks, often repeated
Pain triggered by light touch or everyday activity
A pattern that does not align with visible dental pathology

When dental examination is normal and pain remains severe and episodic, referral for neurological assessment should be considered. Early recognition can reduce unnecessary procedures and shorten distress.

Support and practical support from TNA UK

The Trigeminal Neuralgia Association UK provides information, peer connection, and meetings in Wales and across the UK, including virtual options.

If you are living with trigeminal neuralgia or severe facial pain, or if you support someone who is, you can contact us at:

[email protected]

You do not have to make sense of this alone.

A final ask

If you have read the BBC Wales story, share it. Trigeminal neuralgia on BBC News is not just a headline. It is a chance to change what happens next for the person who has not been diagnosed yet, the person being passed between services, and the person quietly losing their life to pain behind a composed face.

How to watch or listen on Tuesday, 3 February

The BBC Wales coverage continues on Tuesday, 3 February. If you want to hear the interview or catch the TV segment, here is where to find it:

BBC Radio Wales: live interview at 07:50
BBC Wales Today: 17:30 (immediately before the 18:00 network news)
BBC News Wales: online updates and the full article
BBC Radio Cymru: Welsh language radio coverage
BBC Cymru Fyw: Welsh language online coverage

You can also revisit the earlier TNA UK story about Gerwyn Tumelty on the BBC website.

Support and practical support from TNA UK

Trigeminal neuralgia can isolate people quickly. Pain can affect eating, speaking, sleep, work, and confidence. Support matters, especially when diagnosis has taken months or years.

The Trigeminal Neuralgia Association UK runs meetings in Wales and across the UK, in person and online.

To find out more, contact: [email protected]

How to donate

TNA UK is a patient-led charity. Donations help us provide support meetings, trusted information, awareness work, and practical help for people living with trigeminal neuralgia and severe facial pain.

If you would like to support this work, you can donate via the Donate page on the TNA UK website.

Every donation helps someone feel less alone and reach the right support sooner.