More women than men are affected. Rarely it is as a complication of multiple sclerosis . Symptoms you are likely to notice An attack occurs suddenly, producing severe, stabbing pain that lasts from a few seconds to a minute or so. The pain is followed by a lingering sting and tenderness that may last several minutes. Symptoms your physician may observe There is no special test for trigeminal neuralgia .
Diagnosis is based on the patient's description of the distinctive symptoms.
The disease can usually be controlled by drugs. The most widely used are the anticonvulsant drugs used to treat epilepsy . A muscle relaxant called baclofen can also be helpful. In certain severe cases surgery is used to remove the pressure of a blood vessel on the nerve root. A small pad of inert material is inserted to separate the blood vessel from the nerve.