Orofacial Pain Attributed to Lesion or Disease of Cranial Nerves

Question 1

What 2 nerves are included in this classification?

Answer 1

• Trigeminal nerve.
• Glossopharyngeal nerve.

Question 2

Is trigeminal neuralgia unilateral or bilateral?

Answer 2

UNILATERAL.

Question 3

How long does the pain from trigeminal neuralgia last?

Answer 3

From a fraction of a second to 2 minutes

Question 4

What does the pain from trigeminal neuralgia feel like?

Answer 4

Brief ELECTRIC SHOCK/ sharp/shooting/stabbing pain.

Question 5

What triggers trigeminal neuralgia?

Answer 5

INNOCUOUS STIMULUS (ex. toothbrushing, touching face, putting on makeup).

Question 6

What may also occur alongside the electric shock pain of trigeminal neuralgia?

Answer 6

MAY have concomitant CONTINUOUS PAIN OF MODERATE INTENSITY.

Question 7

What does trigeminal neuralgia affect?

Answer 7

One or more branches of the trigeminal nerve.

Question 8

2 things trigeminal neuralgia rarely is?

Answer 8

• RARELY BILATERAL.
• RARELY SPONTANEOUS

Question 9

How often does TN pain occur?

Answer 9

Many have PAIN FREE PERIODS (days, weeks, months, years).

Question 10

7 red flags that would warrant more urgent referral

Answer 10

• 28 days motor/sensory deficits.
• Deafness or other ear problems.
• Optic neuritis.
• History of malignancy.
• BILATERAL TN pain.
• Systemic symptoms (ex. weight loss, fever).
• UNDER 30 YEARS.

Question 11

3 types of TN?

Answer 11

1. Classical TN
2. Secondary TN
3. Idiopathic TN

Question 12

What is idiopathic TN?

Answer 12

No apparent cause.

Question 13

What is secondary TN?

Answer 13

Underlying disease (ex. tumor, cyst, multiple sclerosis aka demyelination disease).

Question 14

How is TN investigated?

Answer 14

• History + examination.
• High resolution magnetic resonance imaging.