It is vital that the Association have records for as many patients as possible, to demonstrate to the research community that this disorder is more wide spread than formerly believed. Nevertheless, the term strikes fear into the heart of doctor and patient alike for reasons that will become clear. Neuralgia is a severe pain along the course of a nerve. In typical TN, the pain is sharp, stabbing and intermittent. It's not continuous, though people who have many quick stabs of pain may experience them as continuous.
Neurologists know more about typical TN than they do about other types of facial pain.
In atypical TN, the pain may occur in an unexpected area or the stabs of pain may be square, rather than spiky - the pain peaks and remains at the peak for a while before receding. Basically, atypical Trigeminal neuralgia simply means that the pain doesn't follow the pattern the majority of patients describe. As for atypical facial pain, I hate the term. It gives patients the false sense that they have a diagnosis. In fact, experts don't know which nerve is involved or whether a nerve is involved.