The skin and muscles of the face are crossed by a complex system of nerves and nerve endings. The trigeminal nerve is one of the most important nodes responsible for the sensitivity of almost all parts of the face and head. If he catches a cold, treatment should be immediate and serious. It is worth knowing that the consequences of this disease can be anything, up to loss of sensitivity of the face, eyes and serious inflammatory processes. The following will describe in more detail what to do if the trigeminal nerve is congested, the symptoms and the treatment most often used.
What is this
The trigeminal nerve is a paired organ that is part of the cranial part of the nervous system of the human body. It has three branches that are directed to the frontal zone, lower and upper jaw and carry impulses to different parts of the face. The nerve is responsible for chewing, facial expressions and provides sensitivity to the skin of the face. The control itself takes place in the spinal cord.
You should know that to catch a trigeminal nerve means to provokean inflammatory process that causes severe pain and spasms of the facial muscles. In this case, pain attacks are similar to electric shocks and can manifest themselves spontaneously in various areas of the face and head. Most often, neuralgia occurs due to the compression of the fibers of the nerve itself by the vessels.
Reasons
If the trigeminal nerve on the face is congested, the first thing to do is to deal with the causes of the pathology. Most often they are the most ordinary situations that people face almost every day. These include:
- air conditioner on;
- open window in transport or at home;
- cold wind.
You should know that the inflammatory process in the body can begin even a few minutes after contact with a stream of cold air.
Other reasons
In addition to the fact that you can catch the trigeminal nerve, there are other factors that can cause inflammation:
- infectious diseases;
- various head injuries;
- intoxication of the body;
- allergy;
- autoimmune pathologies;
- violation of the structure of blood vessels and blood circulation.
The state of the body's immune system has a great influence on this issue. The risk of catching a trigeminal nerve with good immunity is much lower than with a weak one.
Signs of disease
The main symptom of the disease is a severe pain syndrome in the face. As a rule, it is paroxysmal in nature and is feltin the form of an electric shock.
In addition, if the trigeminal nerve is congested, the symptoms may be as follows:
- increased salivation and tearing;
- runny nose;
- anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbance;
- increased body temperature.
On the face, the disease manifests itself as:
- peeling and redness of the skin;
- facial twitching;
- eyelid spasms;
- facial asymmetries.
Numbness and pain are most often manifested in the area of the nasolabial triangle, the wings of the nose and chin. If the trigeminal nerve is stiff, treatment should begin immediately after the first signs appear. Delay in contacting a specialist can lead to serious consequences. Self-medication is a he alth hazard.
Some Features
If the trigeminal nerve is constricted, the symptoms largely depend on which branches are most affected:
- Branch 1 - the sensitivity of the upper eyelid, the back of the nose in the frontal zone, the eyeball decreases or completely disappears.
- Branch 2 - violations appear in the upper part of the cheekbone, jaw, lower eyelid, maxillary sinuses, lower part of the nose.
- Branch 3 - the oral cavity hurts, the entire lower part of the face, chewing processes are disturbed.
Diagnosis
When a patient first experiences signs of neuralgia, he must first be examined by a dentist and therapist to detectsymptoms and prescribe the correct treatment. If such an examination has not yielded results, a more in-depth diagnostic study is carried out by a neurosurgeon and a neuropathologist.
During the appointment, the doctor examines areas of the face to determine the branch of the trigeminal nerve, which leads to pain. Most often, the causes that contribute to the occurrence of trigeminal neuralgia are not serious pathologies. But still, one should not exclude the presence of sclerosis or a tumor.
For a more accurate diagnosis, an MRI scan is needed. If the doctor confirms that the trigeminal nerve is occluded, treatment will be carried out in accordance with the clinical picture.
Features of therapy
First of all, drugs are used to relieve symptoms. If they don't help, or if you experience unwanted side effects, your doctor may suggest alternative treatments. You should be aware that conventional painkillers that are sold in pharmacies without a doctor's prescription (Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol) will not be effective against a stiff nerve.
Muscle relaxants and anticonvulsants are used to combat pain. Most patients get at least short-term relief from these medications. If high efficacy is to be achieved, drugs should be taken regularly to maintain a constant blood level.
Most often, specialists prescribe the following anticonvulsants:
- Carbamazepine;
- Gabapentin;
- Pregabalin;
- "Phenytoin";
- Lamotrigine.
These drugs are used to treat epilepsy. If the drug loses its effectiveness, the doctor may increase the dosage or switch to another medication. These medicines can cause drowsiness, nausea, rashes, incoordination, blood disorders. Before their appointment, tests are taken in order to determine the safe dosage.
From the group of muscle relaxants, "Baclofen" is most often used. In some cases, it is especially effective. The drug may cause nausea, confusion, drowsiness.
Massage
Massage procedures are an obligatory component in the treatment of an inflamed nerve. Such therapy is effective both during an exacerbation of the disease and in remission.
Before you make an appointment with a massage specialist or do it yourself, you should consult with your doctor. Since, with advanced forms of neuralgia, it will not bring results and can even be dangerous.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is carried out after the complete elimination of the acute inflammatory process. They help to prolong the period of remission. Most commonly used:
- Phonophoresis with hydrocortisone. It is carried out even in the acute stage, to reduce the frequency of pain attacks.
- Electrophoresis with anti-inflammatory or painkillers.
- Magnetotherapy.
- Irradiationlaser.
- Ultraviolet heating.
- Acupuncture.
- UHF.
Physiotherapy promotes muscle relaxation, helps restore blood circulation, improve muscle tone.
Operation
Surgical intervention is used in case of squeezing any vessels of the trigeminal nerve. This is done to stop the flow of signals from the nerves to the brain. After the organ is released, a Teflon sponge is placed to protect it. She remains with the patient forever. The effect of such an operation in most cases is positive and does not leave side effects, such as facial numbness. The disadvantages of the operation include the risk associated with the proximity of the brain and general anesthesia.
Possible consequences
If you catch a trigeminal nerve and do not start therapy in a timely manner, serious comorbidities will begin to develop against the background of the inflammatory process. Facial neuralgia is dangerous with the following consequences:
- facial asymmetry;
- eyebrow and eyelash loss;
- conjunctivitis and keratitis;
- wrinkles;
- severe peeling of the skin;
- complete or partial atrophy of masticatory muscles;
- loose wisdom teeth.
Can I heat
Very often, to the question: “I have a cold of the trigeminal nerve, what should I do?” advice is received on warming procedures. You should know that such procedures are contraindicated if the disease is in the acute stage. In addition, all topical medications must beroom temperature. Under the influence of heat, pathogens begin to multiply rapidly, and through the blood the infection enters various organs. Heating with buckwheat or s alt is indicated only during the remission of the disease.
Prevention
To avoid trigeminal neuralgia, or recurrence of the disease, constant he alth monitoring and preventive measures will help. These include:
- timely treatment of dental diseases;
- no stress and hypothermia;
- balanced, proper nutrition;
- sports;
- contrast shower;
- outdoor walks.
Conclusion
In the event that a person has a cold of the trigeminal nerve, only a doctor should decide how to treat and what to do. Self-treatment can lead to serious consequences for the body. Therefore, if signs of neuralgia of the facial nerve appear, you should contact a specialist as soon as possible.
