HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain. If you have trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face — such as from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup — may trigger a jolt of excruciating pain.

You may initially experience short, mild attacks. But trigeminal neuralgia can progress and cause longer, more-frequent bouts of searing pain. Trigeminal neuralgia affects women more often than men, and it's more likely to occur in people who are older than 50.

Causes-In trigeminal neuralgia, also called tic douloureux, the trigeminal nerve's function is disrupted. Usually, the problem is contact between a normal blood vessel — in this case, an artery or a vein — and the trigeminal nerve at the base of your brain. This contact puts pressure on the nerve and causes it to malfunction.

Trigeminal neuralgia can occur as a result of aging, or it can be related to multiple sclerosis or a similar disorder that damages the myelin sheath protecting certain nerves. Less commonly, trigeminal neuralgia can be caused by a tumor compressing the trigeminal nerve.

Some people may experience trigeminal neuralgia due to a brain lesion or other abnormalities. In other cases, surgical injuries, stroke or facial trauma may be responsible for trigeminal neuralgia.

Triggers

A variety of triggers may set off the pain of trigeminal neuralgia, including:

·         Shaving

·         Touching your face

·         Eating

·         Drinking

·         Brushing your teeth

·         Talking

·         Putting on makeup

·         Encountering a breeze

·         Smiling

·         Washing your face

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 and brushing teeth

·         Bouts of pain lasting from a few seconds to several minutes

·         Episodes of several attacks lasting days, weeks, months or longer — some people have periods when they experience no pain

·         Constant aching, burning feeling that's less intense than the spasm-like 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, though may rarely affect both sides of the face

·         Pain focused in one spot or spread in a wider pattern

·         Attacks that become more frequent and intense over time

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Well selected Homoeopathic medicines are effective for facial neuralgia. Some of the main remedies are given below-

ACONITUM NAPELLUS 30- Aconitum napellus is an excellent remedy for trigeminal neuralgia. Aconite is prescribed where the pain may come on after exposure to or may be worsened by dry cold winds. Here the pain appear suddenly and are worse on left side. Another marked feature is restlessness and an anxious look is present on face. Here the pains are intense and are accompanied by anguish.

CHAMOMILLA  200- Chamomilla is one of the top medicines for facial neuralgia with numbness. The person feels that one side of the face is red and hot , other pale and cold. Violent unbearable pain of the face with hot sweat, worse mostly on left side of face extending to the head and temples.The patient feels pain more than it is in actual.Pain worse on touch.

MAGNESIUM PHOSPHORICUM 200- Magnesium phosphoricum is an excellent medicine for facial neuralgia of right side of the face. Pains come on like lightening. Pain worse if body gets cold or if the area is exposed to cold.Pain is better from warm application and also can be better from pressure.

COLOCYNTHIS 30—Colocynthis is excellent for facial neuralgia where pains feel tearing or stitching , mostly on left side. Pain is mostly located around the eye. Pains are better from hard pressure, rest and warm applications. The attack may be worse in night around 10 p.m.

DULCAMARA 30- Dulcamara is excellent for facial neuralgia , worse from slightest exposure to cold. There is tearing pain in cheek extending to ear, orbit and jaw, preceded by coldness of parts and attended by canine hunger.

BELLADONNA 200 -Belladonna is excellent for right sided facial neuralgia with very red hot and swollen face. Here the pain is accompanied by twitching of  muscles, which are very intense and severe. Another important symptom is rush of blood to head  . Another nature of pain is pains appear and disappear rapidly and may worsen at 3 p.m. . Pains are worse from drafts and motion , especially when chewing.

ARSENICUM ALBUM 30-Arsenicum alb is another effective remedy for trigeminal neuralgia. Arsenic is prescribed where the pains feel drawing or burning in nature as if from needles.The person is anxious , restless and thirsty. Pains are ameliorated by warm applications and are aggravated by cold air, also worse after midnight.

ALLIUM CEPA 30- Allium cepa is best for left sided facial pain. There is thread like pain in face.Facial neuralgia after an injury.

SPIGELIA 30- Spigelia is one of the most effective medicines for facial neuralgia when pain is affected on left side. There is lightening like pains come on from morning until sunset. The pain is extending to left eye, left chest, and left shoulder. Pains are worse from stooping or moving the head, from noise, during perspiration, from cold water and air and after chewing. The person has a flushed red face on the affected side and pains come on at certain times of day.

BRYONIA ALBA 30- Bryonia is best for facial neuralgia where the pains are worse with slightest motion, so the patient cannot eat or drink. Pains are ameliorated by cold and pressure and lying on painful side. The person has dry mouth and lips , and very thirsty.

CHINA 30- China is another effective remedy for trigeminal neuralgia , where the pains are mostly affected on left side. Attacks may come on at the same times every day. The skin on the face is sensitive to any light touch or draft, as well as to motion and can be worse with noise.

COFFEA CRUDA 30- Coffea cruda is best for radiating type of facial pain . Pain extending to molar teeth , ears, forehead, and scalp.

HECLA LAVA 3X- Hecla lava is best for facial neuralgia from decayed teeth and after teeth extraction.

KALI PHOSPHORICUM 30- Kali phos is best for right sided facial neuralgia, which is better from cold applications.

PLANTAGO MAJOR 30- Plantago is best for left sided facial neuralgia, where the pains are shooting and tearing in nature extending from jaw to ear. Pains after teeth extraction.

PUSATILLA NIG. 30- Pulsatilla is excellent for facial neuralgia, especially of right side, with a drawing or tearing sensation.They are worse from chewing , warmth and lying on painful side. The mouth feels dry, but the person does not drink . Pains are better from cold applications and open air.

VERBASCUM 30- Verbascum is best for facial neuralgia of left side with a pinching sensation as if the parts were being crushed by tongs. Pains brought on by clenching teeth, change of temperature , pressure, open air and motion. The pain may extent to the chin and lower jaw.