Detecting Trigeminal Neuralgia in the Dental Setting

By Stacey McKinney, RDH, MSEd, Kelli D. Whittington, PhD, RN, CNE, Sandra K. Collins, MBA, PhD

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), or tic douloureux, is a severe, shock-like neuropathic pain resulting in sudden—usually unilateral—short, stabbing, recurrent pain in the distribution of one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve, often set off by light stimuli, such as touch or movement, in a trigger zone.^1,2 It typically presents with piercing pain along the nerve path, which may last from seconds up to several minutes, without associated sensory loss. Assessment may reveal trigger points that exacerbate the paroxysm or sudden attacks. TN may develop without apparent cause or be the result of another diagnosed disorder.^3–5

* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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