Trigeminal nerve, Sclerosis, Pressure
Root cause of Disease
The pressure is caused by an artery or vein squashing (compressing) the trigeminal nerve. These are normal blood vessels that happen to come into contact with the nerve at a particularly sensitive point.
Symptoms
Trigeminal neuralgia symptoms may include one or more of these patterns:
- Episodes of severe, shooting, or jabbing pain that may feel like an electric shock
- Spontaneous attacks of pain or attacks triggered by things such as touching the face, chewing, speaking or brushing teeth
- Attacks of pain lasting from a few seconds to several minutes
- Pain that occurs with facial spasms
- Bouts of multiple attacks lasting days, weeks, months or longer — some people have periods when they experience no pain
- Pain in areas supplied by the trigeminal nerve, including the cheek, jaw, teeth, gums, lips, or less often the eye and forehead
- Pain affecting one side of the face at a time
- Pain focused in one spot or spread in a wider pattern
- Pain rarely occurs at night while sleeping
- Attacks that become more frequent and intense over time
Causes
Primary trigeminal neuralgia occurs when an artery or vein wraps around the trigeminal nerve and causes irritation.
Secondary trigeminal neuralgia occurs when a tumor, cyst, or facial injury puts pressure on the trigeminal nerve. Multiple sclerosis also causes a form of secondary trigeminal neuralgia.
What is the purpose of the trigeminal nerve?
The trigeminal nerve primarily helps you feel (sensory), although the mandibular nerve branch has both sensory and motor functions. The trigeminal nerve helps with:
- Biting, chewing, and swallowing
- Facial and scalp sensations
Home Remedies to treat Trigeminal Neuralgia
Remedy – 1: Heat compress
Materials: Hot/cold pack or hot/cold blanket
Procedure:
- Initialize the hot/cold pack
- Or dip the towel in hot/ cold water
- Apply the pack/towel to the nerve endings on the face (painful areas)
Product Links: Hot Pack
Remedy – 2: Hand massage
Procedure:
- Cleanse your hand to remove the hard impurities to avoid irritation
- Make your hand lie on your aching area
- Gently push it down to an extent that makes you feel relieved
- You can apply oil to your hand to smoothen the massaging
Remedy – 3: Holy basil
Materials: Holy basil
Procedure:
- soak the Tulsi leaves in water daily for at least 8hrs
- Drink that water daily as it helps in relieving the pain and improving health benefits
Remedy – 4: Meditation and Yoga
Procedure:
- Practice yoga and meditation every day to obtain inner peace, which helps relieve stress and makes your nerves feel relaxed.
- By doing asanas in yoga, for the face helps in stretching and exercising your nerves.
Other Remedies
Cayenne pepper
There are some studies in which have found that the topical use of cayenne pepper or capsaicin cream can help you to get relief from the pain that is caused by the trigeminal neuralgia. The cayenne pepper has one element, known as capsaicin which is an active ingredient that gives medicinal properties.
Also, this element gives the hot taste of cayenne pepper. You can find capsaicin cream in pharmacies, but you can make your own home remedy. You can mix a pinch of cayenne pepper with olive oil or other unscented facial cream and apply it to the painful area.
You should know that cayenne pepper and capsaicin cream can produce hypersensitivity of the skin and the affected nerve. You should discontinue using it if this happens. Also, people who bleed easily should avoid the usage of this home remedy.
Spigelia
Spigelia is a homeopathic remedy which has been used for years by homeopaths to treat the effects of the trigeminal neuralgia and prospalgia of the face. This home remedy can help you to get relief from the pain in the eyes, nose, chin, upper gums and cheeks. This home remedy is helpful for pain on either side of the face, but it is particularly suited to pains on the left side. The patient may feel chilly and be extremely sensitive to touch during an attack.
You can find the Spigelia at some health food stores and from online homeopathic pharmacies. You should use the Spigelia under the guidance of a qualified homeopathic practitioner.
Magnesium
There are some studies which have shown that a combination of magnesium and folic acid can calm the nerves and may enable better flow of impulses along them. Also, it was shown that magnesium taken intravenously once per week can speed up this process.
Preventions
- The painful attacks of trigeminal neuralgia can sometimes be brought on, or made worse, by certain triggers, so it may help to avoid these triggers if possible.
- For example, if your pain is triggered by wind, it may help to wear a scarf wrapped around your face in windy weather.
- A transparent dome-shaped umbrella can also protect your face from the weather.
- If your pain is triggered by a draught in a room, avoid sitting near open windows or the source of air conditioning.
- Avoid hot, spicy, or cold food or drink if these seem to trigger your pain. Using a straw to drink warm or cold drinks may also help prevent the liquid from coming into contact with painful areas of your mouth.
- It’s important to eat nourishing meals, so consider eating mushy foods or liquidizing your meals if you’re having difficulty chewing.
- Certain foods seem to trigger attacks in some people, so you may want to consider avoiding things such as caffeine, citrus fruits, and bananas.
