If you have been seeking relief or improvement from Trigeminal Neuralgia and feel like you have tried everything…. acupuncture can help.
Acupuncture is an overlooked solution to many chronic illnesses. Through focused treatment for trigeminal neuralgia designed just for you, acupuncture with Dr. Don Thompson can be an excellent supplement to your ongoing primary or specialized medical care to increase your chances of recovery and relief.
Treatment for Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia (also known as tic douloureux) is a chronic pain disorder which affects the face. It affects the fifth cranial nerve and causes severe, sudden and often life altering pain to the face and head. Causes of trigeminal neuralgia can include structural disorders involving nerve and blood vessels, tumors, multiple sclerosis, and facial traumas (accidents, dental procedures, surgical injuries, etc.). Trigeminal Neuralgia is twice as likely to happen in women.
Something as simple as brushing your teeth or putting on makeup can cause a flare-up.
Western medical treatments include the use of pain and other medications which can provide relief for some people for a period of time. However, some patients develop a tolerance to the medications and require larger doses to maintain relief of symptoms. Some patients may experience side effects of the medication such as dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea. Other treatments include dermal filler injections, and in advanced cases, surgical interventions which include microvascular decompression or gamma knife ablation.
How Can Acupuncture Be A Treatment For Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Acupuncture can help reduce the pain and frequency of episodes of trigeminal neuralgia. Many trigeminal neuralgia sufferers who have used acupuncture have been able to reduce and sometimes eliminate medications they have had to use to help control the episodes.
Dr. Don Thompson specializes in the use of acupuncture to treat trigeminal neuralgia. The number of sessions depends on the patient’s specific symptoms and how advanced their case is. Some people can start to feel some improvement in symptoms after a few treatments. It generally takes 10-15 sessions spaced out over several weeks to reach the maximum benefit from treatment, but this varies patient to patient.
Patients wishing to explore acupuncture should have had a thorough examination to rule out tumors, multiple sclerosis, and other serious medical issues. Read more in our blog post about facial pain/trigeminal neuralgia.
Schedule a consult by calling 276.628.3486 or fill out the form below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Citations:
Acupuncture for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia: A systematic review and meta analysis; Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice v52, August 2023, 101763. https://doi.org/10/1016/jctcp.2023.101763
Acupuncture Methods for Primary Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3178154
The Relationship Between Acupoints of the Face and the Trigeminal Nerve, Medical Acupuncture 2020 Aug 1;32(4):181-193 https://doi.org/10.1089/acu.2020.1413
Potential mechanisms of acupuncture for neuropathic pain based on somatosensory system, Front Neurosci. 2022; 16:940343 https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.940343