Trigeminal Neuralgia ( tri-JEM'-ih-nal nur-AL'-ja ) is a brief but extremely intense facial pain often radiating down the jaw that can occur spontaneously or be triggered by light touch, chewing, or changes in temperature. It can be caused by a small artery or vein compressing the trigeminal nerve at the brainstem.
Microsurgery can reposition this vessel, or the non-invasive gamma knife can be used on the trigeminal nerve to interrupt the transmission of pain signals while still preserving the touch sensations of the face.
Another non-surgical option is percutaneous (PER'-cue-TAY-nee-us) balloon compression, in which a balloon catheter is injected below the skin and inflated to compress the nerve and disable the pain signals.
