After being in practice for many years and having seen many patients covering a spectrum of chronic health conditions I can say that TN is the most debilitating and devastating of them all.
Each case of trigeminal varies in intensity and areas of pain distribution but those who have this condition suffer from an indescribable pain that can bring one to their knees. Oftentimes, when patients with TN have attacked the pain, it is so intense that their eyes will water, the affected side will spasm and lightning bolts of pain will surge through the areas that are affected.
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One patient described the attacks this way. “I have had three babies naturally. A 'TN' attack is double the pain of any pain I experienced in labor. It is as if someone has all of the nerves in your teeth exposed and the nerves are touching ice!”
Helping Trigeminal Neuralgia naturally:
Traditionally TN is treated with a variety of drugs such as Tegretol(seizure medication), Dilantin, and often times Neurontin. While these drugs sometimes give relief most suffer from horrible side effects, such as mental fog, fatigue, and instability in coordination.
While medication can be effective at pain relief it does not get to the underlying cause of trigeminal neuralgia. Many patients throughout the country are finding relief from a natural, noninvasive form of care known as Upper Cervical Blair Chiropractic Care. The following video link tells a gripping story about how one such patient received relief.
In the cases of TN where microvascular decompression is unsuccessful, it means that the underlying cause was not vein entrapment of the nerve. This author believes that one possible mechanism for TN pain may be a contracted temporalis muscle.
To understand how the hypertonic temporalis muscle may be responsible for some Tn sufferers one must look at anatomy. The Trigeminal nerve sits in close proximity to not only the Temporalis but also the masseter muscle(see figures below) Patients who receive relief through Upper Cervical Care may be the result of these two muscles becoming more normal in tone.
To find out more about the rationale behind Upper Cervical Blair Care this video does a good job of explaining the procedure. One study suggests that there may be an association between temporalis hypertonicity and this type of pain:
It is unfortunate that people who suffer from TN go through drastic medical procedures when oftentimes natural approaches like Upper Cervical Care can afford relief and in some cases resolution.
While it is a godsend that medications exist to help people with chronic pain it is a shame that more money is not spent on approaches that can help the body heal itself and get the patient better with the least money and invasion to the body.
The adage of our health care system should be natural approaches first, drugs second, and surgery as the last option. Unfortunately, 'big pharma' has educated the public every chance it can get that drugs should be the first choice and of the poverty of alternatives, those out there that suffer from chronic problems and have not found relief are on the internet doing their own research because they are tired of being told drugs and surgery are your only option.
Oftentimes this may be true but it is this article intended to bring to light other option that is available to those who suffer from TN!
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