Trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm are both neurological conditions that affect the face and can cause significant discomfort and pain.

Trigeminal Neuralgia: A chronic pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve, responsible for carrying sensations from the face to the brain. Trigeminal neuralgia causes intense, stabbing or electric shock-like facial pain, often triggered by daily activities such as eating, talking, or even a gentle touch.
Hemifacial Spasm: This condition involves involuntary contractions or twitching of the muscles on one side of the face, typically starting around the eye and then spreading to other facial muscles. These spasms can be intermittent or persistent, triggered by stress, fatigue, or specific facial movements.

Both conditions can significantly impact a person’s quality of life and may require medical intervention for management. These are chronic pain conditions that affect the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for carrying sensations from the face to the brain.

There are various treatment options available such as:

• Anticonvulsant medications — carbamazepine or gabapentin, may be prescribed to help reduce the facial pain in trigeminal neuralgia.
• Botulinum Toxin Injections may temporarily paralyse the facial muscles and reduce the frequency and severity of muscle spasms in hemifacial spasms.
• Various surgical options may be considered for individuals who do not respond to medications or injections. Microvascular Decompression (MVD) surgery, radiofrequency ablation and stereotactic radiosurgery are surgical techniques that relieve pressure on the affected nerves and reduce pain or muscle spasms.
• Gamma knife Radiosurgery –can be used to treat trigeminal neuralgia.