Advanced trigeminal neuralgia treatment in Atlanta
Facial nerve pain treatment combining medication optimization, nerve blocks, and microvascular decompression expertise for durable relief.
Imagine a lightning bolt striking your face—that's trigeminal neuralgia. Simple acts like brushing teeth, eating, or feeling a breeze can trigger excruciating pain that stops you in your tracks. It's nicknamed 'the suicide disease' for good reason, but there is hope. At Legacy Brain and Spine, we specialize in advanced treatments including microvascular decompression surgery and Gamma Knife radiosurgery that provide long-term relief in 80-90% of patients. You don't have to live in fear of the next shock. Let us help you reclaim your life.
Our Specialists
Meet the physicians who specialize in treating trigeminal neuralgia:
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This treatment is available at all of our convenient locations:
Overview
Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve, causing intense facial pain. Often described as electric shocks, the pain can be debilitating. Legacy offers comprehensive treatment options from medications to advanced surgical procedures.
Expert care for trigeminal neuralgia
Advanced trigeminal neuralgia specialists offering medical management and surgical solutions including microvascular decompression and Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Our procedures achieve long-term pain relief in the majority of patients.
Common Symptoms
Trigeminal neuralgia has a characteristic pain pattern that makes diagnosis relatively straightforward once recognized. The brief, electric-shock quality, specific trigger zones, and one-sided facial distribution distinguish it from dental pain or other facial conditions. Many patients undergo unnecessary dental procedures before correct diagnosis. If you're experiencing these symptoms, specialized neurosurgical evaluation can provide answers and, more importantly, relief.
Sudden, severe, electric shock-like facial pain
Excruciating jolts of pain described as the worst pain imaginable, striking like lightning without warning. These intense episodes are so severe that trigeminal neuralgia is nicknamed 'the suicide disease' due to its devastating impact on quality of life.
Episodes triggered by touching face, chewing, speaking
Light touch to specific trigger zones, eating, talking, brushing teeth, or even a breeze can initiate attacks. These predictable triggers cause patients to avoid normal activities, leading to weight loss, poor dental hygiene, and social isolation.
Pain lasting from seconds to minutes
Individual attacks are brief but intensely painful, lasting anywhere from a few seconds to two minutes. Multiple attacks may occur in clusters throughout the day, with pain-free periods between episodes that gradually shorten as the condition progresses.
Pain on one side of face
Classic trigeminal neuralgia affects only one side, typically the right side more than left. Bilateral pain is rare and suggests other diagnoses, though the condition can switch sides over time or multiple sclerosis as the underlying cause.
Pain in cheek, jaw, teeth, gums, or lips
Distribution follows branches of the trigeminal nerve, most commonly affecting the cheek and upper jaw regions. Pain is often mistaken for dental problems, leading many patients to undergo unnecessary tooth extractions before correct diagnosis.
Increasing frequency of attacks over time
Early on, attacks may occur sporadically with long pain-free intervals. Without treatment, episodes become more frequent and severe, eventually occurring multiple times daily with shorter remissions, dramatically impacting daily functioning.
Common Causes
Most trigeminal neuralgia cases result from vascular compression where an artery contacts the nerve. This progressive mechanical irritation eventually strips away the nerve's protective coating, creating the pain circuit. Understanding the cause—vascular, multiple sclerosis-related, or tumor-associated—determines optimal treatment. MRI imaging helps identify the specific anatomy driving your pain, guiding us toward lasting solutions.
Blood vessel pressing on trigeminal nerve
In most cases, an artery or vein makes contact with the trigeminal nerve at the base of the brain, wearing away the protective myelin sheath. This vascular compression creates a short-circuit that generates the characteristic electric shock sensations with even minor stimulation.
Multiple sclerosis
MS damages the myelin insulation surrounding nerves throughout the brain and spinal cord, including the trigeminal nerve. This demyelination allows abnormal electrical signals to generate spontaneous pain even without physical compression of the nerve.
Tumor compressing the nerve
Benign or malignant tumors growing near the trigeminal nerve can physically compress it, disrupting normal nerve function. These space-occupying lesions gradually increase pressure on the nerve, leading to progressive pain that differs slightly from classic trigeminal neuralgia.
Surgical injury or stroke
Previous brain surgery or stroke affecting the trigeminal pathway can damage nerve fibers and disrupt normal pain signal processing. This secondary trigeminal neuralgia often presents differently from the classic form and may be more resistant to standard treatments.
Aging and deterioration of myelin sheath
Natural aging processes gradually thin the protective myelin coating on nerves throughout the body, including the trigeminal nerve. This age-related degeneration makes the nerve more susceptible to irritation and abnormal pain signal generation, explaining why trigeminal neuralgia typically appears after age 50.
Treatment Options
Anticonvulsant medications - Drugs like carbamazepine or gabapentin that stabilize nerve signals and can provide significant pain relief for many patients
Muscle relaxants - Medications like baclofen to reduce nerve excitability and muscle tension contributing to pain episodes
Nerve blocks - Temporary numbing injections to provide immediate relief and help determine if more permanent procedures would be beneficial
Microvascular decompression surgery - Gold-standard surgical procedure relocating or removing blood vessels pressing on the trigeminal nerve, providing long-term cure in 80-90% of patients
Gamma Knife radiosurgery - Non-invasive focused radiation treatment that damages the nerve to stop pain signals, avoiding open surgery
Radiofrequency rhizotomy - Minimally invasive procedure using heat to selectively damage nerve fibers carrying pain signals while preserving other functions
State of the art facilities
Joint Commission Gold Seal certified surgery centers equipped with the latest neurosurgical technology. Our Atlanta and Riverdale facilities offer minimally invasive procedures with concierge recovery suites for optimal patient comfort.
Recovery & Outlook
Medical management can provide significant relief. Surgical procedures like microvascular decompression offer long-term relief in 80-90% of patients, with most returning to normal activities within 2-4 weeks.
Ready to Start Your Treatment Journey?
Our board-certified neurosurgeons are here to provide expert evaluation and personalized treatment plans. Schedule a consultation today to discuss your options.
Schedule ConsultationAccepted by most major insurance carriers and plans.
Many of our physicians are in-network with major insurance plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, and more. Coverage can vary, so feel free to call us—we're happy to check your plan for you.
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