Tik Douloureux causes one of the most severe pains of the century
Speaking about Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN), popularly known as “Tik Douloureux”, a chronic disease that occurs suddenly on one side of the face and causes severe pain. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kılıç said, "It is one of the most severe pains of humanity. Patients experience sharp, unbearable pain similar to an electric shock," he said.
Approximately 150 thousand people are diagnosed with TN every year. Neurosurgery Assoc. Dr Mustafa Kılıç from BHT CLINIC Istanbul Tema Hospital said, "The disease is twice as common in women compared to men. It usually affects individuals over the age of 50. This pain, which is usually felt in the lower jaw and cheek, can sometimes spread to the eye and forehead area. Eating, brushing teeth or even a light touch can trigger pain."
‘In addition, TN is divided into two groups as primary and secondary,’ said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kılıç and stated that primary TN is caused by a vessel pressing on the trigeminal nerve, while secondary TN is caused by causes such as tumour, MS, cyst, facial trauma or nerve damage.
Symptoms and diagnostic process
Symptoms of TN may vary from patient to patient and are generally seen in two main types. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kılıç said, "Type 1 (TN1) patients have sharp, throbbing and sudden pain, while Type 2 (TN2) patients have more continuous and aching pain. TN attacks can last for weeks and some patients may experience periods of remission. The pain is usually felt on one side of the face, but can rarely affect both sides. The diagnosis is made by examining the patient's symptoms in detail, and methods such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are used to determine whether there is a vessel or tumour pressing on the nerve."
Treatment methods
‘In the treatment of TN, drug therapy is primarily applied,’ said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kılıç and added that carbamazepine is the most commonly used drug, but this drug may lose its effectiveness over time or cause serious side effects. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kılıç said:
"In cases where drug treatment is inadequate, surgical and interventional treatment options can be used. Microvascular decompression is a surgical method that aims to relieve pain by removing the vessel pressing on the trigeminal nerve. Percutaneous procedures such as radiofrequency rhizotomy, balloon compression and glycerol rhizotomy block pain transmission by controlled damage to the nerve. Stereotactic radiosurgery, such as Gamma Knife, stops the transmission of pain signals by delivering high doses of radiation to the trigeminal nerve and stands out as a non-invasive method that does not require hospitalisation."
"Early diagnosis is important to improve quality of life"
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kılıç said, "Trigeminal neuralgia is a disease that severely restricts the daily lives of patients. Even simple actions such as eating, talking or washing your face can trigger pain," he said, emphasising that untreated cases can lead to psychological problems such as depression and anxiety and therefore emphasised the importance of early diagnosis and starting appropriate treatment.
