What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Trigeminal neuralgia, sometimes known as tic douloureux, is a chronic condition characterized by mild to severe bouts of searing facial pain. Every year, more than 150,000 people are diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, with women twice as likely to suffer from the condition as men.
Trigeminal Neuralgia Signs and Symptoms
Trigeminal neuralgia is a debilitating condition, with symptoms including severe bouts of sudden pain all over the face and/or prolonged aching around the cheek, jaw, lips, eyes, and forehead. Common triggers for trigeminal neuralgia episodes are touching the face, shaving, chewing food, invasive dental work, or touching the gums.
How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia is a nerve disorder caused by dysfunction in the trigeminal nerve, a set of cranial nerves responsible for managing sensation in the face. While the exact cause of trigeminal neuralgia remains unclear, the disorder is often found in people with multiple sclerosis, brain lesions, or abnormal pressure on the trigeminal nerve.
Unfortunately, pressure on the trigeminal nerve is frequently caused by one or more misalignments in the upper cervical spine. When the upper cervical spine is out of its natural alignment, the ensuing musculoskeletal stress can cause inflammation around the central nervous system (CNS) and brainstem. Left untreated, CNS inflammation can compress branching facial nerves like the trigeminal nerve. As the pressure builds, the misalignment may cause the onset of trigeminal neuralgia episodes.
How Our Trigeminal Neuralgia Treatment Works
Our treatment for trigeminal neuralgia is focused on restoring the body’s natural healing mechanisms. By identifying and correcting any misalignments in the upper cervical spine, we hope to alleviate the root cause of nerve pain in your face.
The first step in this process is to identify whether you are suffering from a misalignment in the upper cervical spine. To do so, our expert in-house practitioner, Dr. Shamloo, will use infrared thermography and precise advanced 3D imaging to scan your spine for misaligned vertebra. If a misalignment is detected, Dr. Shamloo will perform a series of specific, non-invasive chiropractic corrections to restore the affected vertebra to its natural alignment. By eliminating a key source of generalized inflammation around the CNS, we hope to reduce tension on the trigeminal nerve, easing or even eliminating the onset of trigeminal neuralgia bouts.
If trigeminal neuralgia is getting in the way of your day-to-day life, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Shamloo at Upper Spine Knoxville. Dr. Shamloo services patients in Knoxville, Alcoa, Maryville, Farragut, Clinton, Oak Ridge, Sevierville, Lenoir City, Karns, Hardin Valley, Powell, Halls and Fountain City in Tennessee and the surrounding areas.