Neuropathic Pain

Millions of Americans suffer from facial pain. Are you one of them? In many cases, facial neuralgia is caused by irritation of the trigeminal nerve. If you are experiencing facial pain and spasms, you could very well be dealing with neuropathic pain. If you are dealing with neuropathic pain, our dentist Dr. Phan and the team at YP Center for TMJ, Orofacial Pain, Headaches, and Sleep Medicine can figure out what’s causing your pain and provide you with the relief you need.

What causes trigeminal neuropathic pain?
There are many reasons why the trigeminal nerve may not be functioning properly, resulting in facial pain. Any injury, trauma, ENT surgery, or oral surgery could lead to injury of the trigeminal nerve.

If you are experiencing sudden sharp facial pain after injury to the face or surgery, then you could be dealing with trigeminal neuropathic pain. If you also experience numbness and tingling, these are signs of nerve damage. You must turn to our team right away if you are experiencing these symptoms.

Are there other causes of neuropathic pain?
Absolutely! While the trigeminal nerve is often involved, it isn’t the only cause of this type of facial pain. Other causes of neuropathic pain include,

  • Trigeminal neuralgia caused by certain inflammatory conditions such as multiple sclerosis
  • Pain due to shingles (known as post-herpetic neuralgia)
  • Pain due to tumors or other structural abnormalities

How is neuropathic pain treated?
When you come into our practice, we will first run the appropriate diagnostic tests to make sure that you are dealing with trigeminal neuropathic pain. Once we have determined the root cause of your pain then we can map out a treatment plan to provide you with relief. The good news is that in most cases, medication is often all that’s needed to alleviate this facial discomfort. Common medications that are prescribed to treat neuropathic pain include:

  • Muscle relaxants
  • Tricyclic antidepressants
  • Anticonvulsants

Dr. Phan and our team here at YP Center for TMJ, Orofacial Pain, Headaches, and Sleep Medicine will discuss the different medication options with you to determine which one will work best for your pain. If pain medications don’t seem to provide you with ample relief or aren’t the right fit for you, then surgery may be necessary. There are several surgical treatment options such as stereotactic radiosurgery and percutaneous rhizotomy that can be used to effectively treat trigeminal neuropathic pain.

Are you dealing with neuropathic pain here in Cypress, CA?
If so, turn to the experts at YP Center for TMJ, Orofacial Pain, Headaches, and Sleep Medicine for treatment.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Phan, call us at (657) 313-5571 !