TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a disorder in which the patient complains of pain on one side of his face, which can be felt from the forehead to the chin, but what is often felt is pain from the cheek area down. This can happen due to disruption of the Gasserian ganglion (node of nerve no.5/trigeminal nerve). The pain felt by the patient can come and go, to a very severe level of pain, like stabbing. Pain can be felt from several days to weeks and sometimes persists for years. Such pain is of course very disturbing and will reduce the quality of life and can reduce productivity.

In general, the cause of this disorder is uncertain, but it can also be caused by compression of blood vessels or tumors in the Gasserian ganglion. Therefore, in patients with disorders like this, first of all a CT scan (imaging with Computerized Tomography) or MRI (imaging with Magnetic Resonance Imaging) of the head should be done to see the cause (whether there is compression/pressure by blood vessels or a tumor). . However, if the results of the examination do not show such pressure, then one of the effective treatment options that can be done is pain management, especially if the pain complaint cannot be treated with drugs.

With the guidance of a C-arm (movable X-ray device) a special needle can be injected through the face (in the cheek area) up to the Gasserian ganglion and then drugs can be given directly to the ganglion or radiofrequency thermocoagulation is carried out.

With this relatively simple action, complaints of pain in patients in general can be handled properly so that patients can return to being cheerful, working as usual without having to experience very disturbing pain.