The trigeminal nerve is the largest nerve in the head and face. It branches out from the brain and goes into the face, wrapping around the head. When there is damage to the trigeminal nerve, it can cause a debilitating condition known as trigeminal neuralgia.
Trigeminal neuralgia causes excruciating, shocking pains in parts of the face such as behind the eyes, in the gums, or the jaw. Pain can be triggered by normal activities, such as eating, drinking, brushing the teeth, or even when a breeze blows on the face.
Living with trigeminal neuralgia can be stressful. There are some things you can do to help you cope with your condition.
Learn Your Triggers
Various things can set off trigeminal neuralgia attacks. For some people, it may be eating spicy foods. For others, it may be cold liquids. If you pay attention, you will notice patterns and learn what activities trigger the pain. This can help you to avoid them.
Keep Yourself Healthy
Trigeminal neuralgia is manageable and is not life-threatening, so don't let anxiety over your condition take over your life. When you are feeling good, you should take care of yourself. This will keep your spirits up and help you make the most of your good days. Eat a healthy diet, get proper rest, and enjoy whatever physical fitness activities work best for you.
Don't Ignore Your Mental Health
Trigeminal neuralgia attacks may be brief, but they are severe and can strike at any time. Just living with the knowledge that you may experience debilitating pain at any moment can keep you on edge. People with this condition often suffer from anxiety, stress, and depression. It is important to have a good support system or to take up relaxing activities like yoga, mindfulness, walking, or gardening. You should also seek out mental health experts to help you maintain your mental health.
Look for Alternative Treatments
Doctors may prescribe medications to help you with your trigeminal neuralgia, and many other patients have found relief in safe, non-invasive alternative treatments. One treatment for trigeminal neuralgia that has shown promise is upper cervical care.
Research shows that often the root of the problem is in the upper cervical spine. When the vertebrae in the neck are misaligned, they may cause nerves to become pinched or compressed. Many people have found that upper cervical chiropractic care helps lessen the severity and frequency of trigeminal neuralgia attacks.
We Can Help
At the Blair Chiropractic Clinic in Lubbock, Texas, Dr. Gordon Elder is an upper cervical specialist who is trained in the Blair Chiropractic Technique. This technique offers trigeminal neuralgia sufferers a safe, gentle, drug-free, non-invasive option for treatment.
Unlike traditional chiropractic methods, you needn't worry about any jarring snaps or twists that might trigger your pain. The Blair technique begins with advanced 3D diagnostic imaging to help the doctor pinpoint problems. He is then able to apply gentle pressure with more precision to make corrections with a light touch. You will barely feel it.
Step one of Dr. Elder's treatment plan begins with a health screening and state-of-the-art imaging scans. This way, the doctor can get a better picture of your unique anatomy, accurately calculate the angles of your spine, and find any misalignments.
Step two kicks off the healing process. Dr. Elder uses low-pressure manipulations to restore the spine's proper alignment, alleviating any swelling, inflammation, and nerve compression. Once properly aligned, the body's natural healing processes can begin working to repair damage and improve the function of the nerves.
The third and final step involves ongoing preventative care. Regular check-ups will help ensure your spine remains properly aligned so that your nerves can function optimally.
Don't let trigeminal neuralgia rob you of one more minute of your life. Call Dr. Elder to see if upper cervical chiropractic care can help you. The doctor's areas of coverage include Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, and El Paso in Texas, as well as Hobbs in New Mexico.
Published by Vic Belonogoff: A Blair Chiropractic doctor helped heal vertigo, among other conditions that Vic Belonogoff suffered from, and it gave him his life back. He continues to see an upper cervical chiropractor as a preventative measure. Vic Belonogoff is passionate about upper cervical chiropractic and how much it helps patients.