How to Alleviate Pain Caused by Trigeminal Neuralgia
Ask your doctor about anticonvulsant medicines., Get a prescription for tricyclic antidepressants., Avoid analgesics and opioids., Try antispasmodic agents., Ask about Botox injections., Consider alternative medicine.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Ask your doctor about anticonvulsant medicines.
Anticonvulsant medications are one of the most common treatments for trigeminal neuralgia.
Your doctor may prescribe one or more anticonvulsants until he finds the one that works the best to manage your pain symptoms.Anticonvulsant medications are typically prescribed instead of traditional painkillers (such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which are not as effective at blocking the electrical signals from the misfiring neurons that are causing the sensations of pain.Carbamazepine is the is the usual initial anticonvulsant medication treatment.
Oxcarbazepine is similar to carbamazepine in effectiveness and may be better tolerated, but is more expensive.
Gabapentin and lamotrigine are often used for patients who cannot tolerate carbamazepine.
Baclofen may be a useful medication to take alongside the anticonvulsant, particularly in patients with TN related to multiple sclerosis.
Anticonvulsant medications may lose their efficacy over time as they build up in the bloodstream; at this point, your doctor may switch your prescription to a different anticonvulsant that your body has not grown insensitive to. -
Step 2: Get a prescription for tricyclic antidepressants.
Tricyclic antidepressants are commonly used to manage symptoms of depression but they can also be prescribed to manage chronic pain.Tricyclic antidepressants are often effective in managing chronic pain conditions, such as atypical facial pain, but are not generally useful in classical trigeminal neuralgia.
Tricyclic antidepressants tend to be prescribed in lower doses for chronic pain management versus when they are used to treat depression.Common tricyclic antidepressants used to treat chronic pain include amitriptyline and nortriptyline., Analgesics and opioids are not useful in managing the paroxysms of pain in classical TN.However, some people with TN2 respond to analgesics and opioids.
TN2 consists of constant pain that can be dampened by these medications as they build up in the bloodstream, while TN1 consists of sharp recurring pain episodes that cannot effectively be lessened by these drugs.Your doctor can prescribe analgesics and opioids such as allodynia, levorphanol, or methadone. , Antispasmodic agents are used to ease pain sensations caused by trigeminal neuralgia attacks.
They are sometimes used in conjunction with anticonvulsants.Antispasmodics, otherwise known as muscle relaxants, are prescribed to treat trigeminal neuralgia because they inhibit involuntary muscle movements that can be triggered by misfiring neurons during a trigeminal neuralgia episode.
Common antispasmodics include Kemstro, Gablofen, and Lioresal; these are all members of the baclofen family of drugs. , Your doctor may consider Botox injections to treat your trigeminal neuralgia if you become insensitive and unresponsive to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, and antispasmodic medications.Botox has shown to be effective for pain management in a high percentage of patients with trigeminal neuralgia, especially those with rapid muscle twitching.Many people feel uncomfortable considering Botox injections due to negative connotations from their use in plastic surgery; however, you should not discount this treatment modality because it can effectively help you to manage your chronic facial pain after you have exhausted your other options. , Alternative medicine options have not been studied enough to be determined as effective for treating trigeminal neuralgia.
Even so, many people report some pain relief from modalities such as acupuncture and nutritional therapy. -
Step 3: Avoid analgesics and opioids.
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Step 4: Try antispasmodic agents.
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Step 5: Ask about Botox injections.
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Step 6: Consider alternative medicine.
Detailed Guide
Anticonvulsant medications are one of the most common treatments for trigeminal neuralgia.
Your doctor may prescribe one or more anticonvulsants until he finds the one that works the best to manage your pain symptoms.Anticonvulsant medications are typically prescribed instead of traditional painkillers (such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which are not as effective at blocking the electrical signals from the misfiring neurons that are causing the sensations of pain.Carbamazepine is the is the usual initial anticonvulsant medication treatment.
Oxcarbazepine is similar to carbamazepine in effectiveness and may be better tolerated, but is more expensive.
Gabapentin and lamotrigine are often used for patients who cannot tolerate carbamazepine.
Baclofen may be a useful medication to take alongside the anticonvulsant, particularly in patients with TN related to multiple sclerosis.
Anticonvulsant medications may lose their efficacy over time as they build up in the bloodstream; at this point, your doctor may switch your prescription to a different anticonvulsant that your body has not grown insensitive to.
Tricyclic antidepressants are commonly used to manage symptoms of depression but they can also be prescribed to manage chronic pain.Tricyclic antidepressants are often effective in managing chronic pain conditions, such as atypical facial pain, but are not generally useful in classical trigeminal neuralgia.
Tricyclic antidepressants tend to be prescribed in lower doses for chronic pain management versus when they are used to treat depression.Common tricyclic antidepressants used to treat chronic pain include amitriptyline and nortriptyline., Analgesics and opioids are not useful in managing the paroxysms of pain in classical TN.However, some people with TN2 respond to analgesics and opioids.
TN2 consists of constant pain that can be dampened by these medications as they build up in the bloodstream, while TN1 consists of sharp recurring pain episodes that cannot effectively be lessened by these drugs.Your doctor can prescribe analgesics and opioids such as allodynia, levorphanol, or methadone. , Antispasmodic agents are used to ease pain sensations caused by trigeminal neuralgia attacks.
They are sometimes used in conjunction with anticonvulsants.Antispasmodics, otherwise known as muscle relaxants, are prescribed to treat trigeminal neuralgia because they inhibit involuntary muscle movements that can be triggered by misfiring neurons during a trigeminal neuralgia episode.
Common antispasmodics include Kemstro, Gablofen, and Lioresal; these are all members of the baclofen family of drugs. , Your doctor may consider Botox injections to treat your trigeminal neuralgia if you become insensitive and unresponsive to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, and antispasmodic medications.Botox has shown to be effective for pain management in a high percentage of patients with trigeminal neuralgia, especially those with rapid muscle twitching.Many people feel uncomfortable considering Botox injections due to negative connotations from their use in plastic surgery; however, you should not discount this treatment modality because it can effectively help you to manage your chronic facial pain after you have exhausted your other options. , Alternative medicine options have not been studied enough to be determined as effective for treating trigeminal neuralgia.
Even so, many people report some pain relief from modalities such as acupuncture and nutritional therapy.
About the Author
Janet Hernandez
Janet Hernandez has dedicated 5 years to mastering humanresources. As a content creator, Janet focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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