Also called: TN · Tic douloureux
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a type of chronic pain that affects your face. It causes extreme, sudden burning or shock-like pain. It usually affects one side of the face. Any vibration on your face, even from talking, can set it off. The condition may come and go, disappearing for days or even months. But the longer you have it, the less often it goes away.
TN usually affects people over 50, especially women. The cause is probably a blood vessel pressing on the trigeminal nerve, one of the largest nerves in the head. Tumors and multiple sclerosis can also cause TN, but in some cases the cause is unknown.
There is no specific test for TN. It can be hard to diagnose, since many other conditions can cause facial pain. Treatment options include medicines, surgery, and complementary techniques.
It sits within Brain and Nerves.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Trigeminal Neuralgia
174 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- MR Guided Focused Ultrasound (FUS) for the Treatment of Trigeminal NeuralgiaUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore
- Efficacy and Safety of Oral Antiviral Therapy for Idiopathic Trigeminal NeuralgiaBeijing Tiantan Hospital
- RP-008 in Combination With Daily Oral Varenicline for the Treatment of Trigeminal NeuralgiaKriya Therapeutics, Inc.
- High-intensity Laser Therapy Versus Low Level Laser Therapy in the Treatment of Trigeminal NeuralgiaAlexandria University
- Clinical Trial of Endoscopically Guided Injection of Exparel (Bupivacaine) for the Treatment of Craniofacial PainStanford University
- Ultra-Early Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery for TNUniversity of Alberta
Research already completed
- To Evaluate Efficacy of Monotherapy of Oxcarbazepine Versus Combination of Gabapentin With Oxcarbazepine in the Management of Trigeminal NeuralgiaRehman Medical Institute - RMI
- Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of SR750 in Patients With Trigeminal NeuralgiaShanghai SIMR Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
- Sphenopalatine Ganglion Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment OutcomesAnkara City Hospital Bilkent
- Impact of Teflon Technique on Recurrence After Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal NeuralgiaUniversity of Valencia
- Anti-CGRP for Inflammation and Pain Modulation in Small Fiber Neuropathy/FibromyalgiaDuke University
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Learn More
- Trigeminal NeuralgiaNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Trigeminal NeuralgiaMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Trigeminal NeuralgiaNational Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Trigeminal NeuralgiaNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Trigeminal Neuralgia. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Trigeminal Neuralgia, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.