Interview with a doctor: jaws and trigeminal neuralgia

Margaret Dennis, DMD, practiced general dentistry in Jacksonville, Florida eleven years before enrolling in the University of Kentucky, College of Dentistry Orofacial Pain program. She has an established practice in Jacksonville, where she treats individuals who have neuropathic facial pain, neuralgias, and tempormandibular joint disorders (TMJD). She joins me for a question and answer session. 

Q: Dr. Dennis, many times individuals have told me that  trigeminal neuralgia (TN) was healed by having their jaws "fixed." Would you explain how TMJD and TN are closely related?

A: The trigeminal nerve innervates the jaw and the face and all their structures. Damage in the jaw joint irritates the trigeminal nerve, leading to symptoms of continuous and/or intermittent neuropathic pain.

Q. What exactly is neuropathic pain?

A: Neuropathic pain simply means pain in a nerve. It differs from other types of pain in that it generally is electrical or burning, shooting or stabbing. This type of pain is not dull, not aching. Throbbing is usually muscular in origin, but it sometimes can be attributed to neuropathic pain.

Q: Does that mean that all facial nerve pain is TN?

A: No. There are twelve sets of cranial nerves (one on each side of the face) and several of these can cause facial nerve pain. The glossopharyngeal, geniculate, and facial nerves are, besides the trigeminal nerve, the most likely candidates to cause neuropathic pain.

Q: Is it possible to have facial nerve pain and as a result of TMJD?

A: Yes. The damage inside the temporomandibular (TM) joint can irritate the nerve. It is like a ball and socket with a cartilage disc between the bone of the head (skull) and the lower part of the jaw. This disc can become displaced, usually by trauma, and nerves and blood vessels that lie behind the ball part can be pulled forward on top of the ball part and cause pain. This pain travels over the trigeminal pathway. 

Q: How can one determine if he or she is experiencing which type of pain- TMJD or TN?

A: Two things facilitate the diagnostic process. A unique MRI of the TMJ itself is the gold-standard for diagnosing TMJD. Another way to diagnose the origin of the pain is to perform an ariculotemporal nerve block with local anesthetic. This block numbs the TM joint itself, not the trigeminal nerve. If a person has TN, the pain will continue. If the TM joint is involved, the pain will significantly reduce.

Q: It sounds as though a person can have nerve pain along the trigeminal pathway and still not have trigeminal neuralgia. Is this correct?


A: Yes. When this occurs, we call the syndrome atypical facial pain or neuropathic facial pain. Correct treatment for TMJD can resolve the issue if the dysfunction is treated early enough. If the problem has persisted over a long course, correct treatment can still significantly relieve the pain.

Dr. Dennis will join us for more discussions about facial pain. In the meantime, feel free to ask a question in the comments section of this post.

You can learn more about orofacial pain at her website.
Orofacial Pain Center, Jacksonville

Night terrors and trigeminal neuralgia: a spiritual approach to fear

If one has trigeminal neuralgia, terror can rule the night. I was married when I had pain so horrific that my spouse sometimes awakened me, explaining that he could not sleep because I was screaming. I was amazed by the fact that I could slumber in spite of my physical distress.

I am aware that I am not the only one who has slept through his or her nocturnal pain, but I do not know who shares this experience. When I began my internship for TNA, The Facial Pain Association, I heard that Dr. Joanna M. Zakrzewska would be studying this phenomenon. Although I got an email from her regarding the proposed research topic, I did not hear more about it. I was comforted, however, by knowing I was not the only person with this bizarre story.

Knowing we are not alone in our suffering is part of the validation process. I have taken many calls from individuals who felt they had to explain the pain to me. When they discovered that I had also endured it, I would always hear a sigh of relief. The caller could move onto the questions he or she had for me with assurance that I "got it."

When night falls and people who have TN try to sleep, pain and fear can heighten. One reason is that trigeminal neuralgia, glossopharyngeal neuralgia, and other types of neuropathic facial issues, often get worse when an individual lies down. Also when we are not distracted by the business of the day, pain comes to the forefront of our consciousness. In a future post, I will feature a guest who will address these issues further.

In the night our mind, spirit, and body connection seems to increase. Consider the dreams you have had on occasion, how they revealed your unspoken desires, your deepest fears.

Fear is the enemy of anyone who has trigeminal neuralgia. We are frightened by the electrocution-type pains and wonder how we can endure more of them. After all, anyone who knows that he or she will get struck by lightening in the future has a right to be afraid.

We cannot control the pain, but we can try to reign in the trepidation. How we benefit from the mind, spirit, and body connection? By saying a prayer, we involve all three aspects of our being. Will you read this prayer with me? It is the 23^rd Psalm.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

By reading the prayer, we use both mind and body even if we read silently. And if saying the 23^rd Psalm is done in hopes of having a better night, an individual has employed faith. Prayer could a be the vehicle that helps you begin to mend. 

Faith is like a muscle. If we do not use it, it shrinks to nothing. Pump up! Believe you can get better.