A Guide to Tic Douloureux (Trigeminal Neuralgia) Symptoms

August 15, 2021

Tic Douloureux, atlas bone adjustment

Tic douloureux isn’t a term you hear every day. However, if you get diagnosed with it, you will likely experience severe disruptions to your daily routine. Also known as trigeminal neuralgia, this condition may lead to mental health problems due to its severe symptoms.

We thought of outlining the key indications of tic douloureux and how you can manage them with a few lifestyle adjustments and natural remedies, such as an atlas bone adjustment from a chiropractor. 

 

Signs of Tic Douloureux (Trigeminal Neuralgia)

#1. Shooting pain

Patients who are getting an atlas bone adjustment for tic douloureux or trigeminal neuralgia often experience shooting or burning pain. The shooting or electrical shock sensation frequently occurs after touching the face, shaving facial hair, brushing your teeth, moving the tongue.  

#2. Pain focused on one side of the face 

Trigeminal neuralgia often affects one side of a patient’s face. It also comes and goes, so sometimes people get confused and think they have dental concerns or cluster headaches.  

#3. Ear pain

Some people who have tic douloureux experience aching inside the ears. It feels similar to the sensation caused by an ear infection. The only difference is that it doesn’t have apparent physical manifestations like swelling or fluid buildup. 

#4. Unexplainable fatigue

Nobody wants to feel tired at the beginning of the day. Unfortunately, this is one of the key struggles of patients diagnosed with tic douloureux. Fatigue often follows a trigeminal neuralgia flare-up because the body suffers from stress. Dealing with the pain is also emotionally taxing, primarily when it affects your routine.  

#5. Nausea

Nausea is perhaps one of the usual symptoms people experience when they don’t feel well. It’s a precursor to vomiting and often denotes health problems like migraines or vertigo attacks. Thousands of patients with tic douloureux also experience nausea. Studies explain that this symptom might stem from the anxiety that sets in before and during a flare-up.

#6. Light sensitivity

Another reason why some people get confused with migraines and tic douloureux is that they both cause light sensitivity. However, it’s crucial to note that light sensitivity in patients with trigeminal neuralgia is more constant. Some patients also report that their light sensitivity feels less intense. 

 

Tic Douloureux Diagnosis

How many of these symptoms do you have? If you have most of them, we recommend scheduling a visit to the doctor. The sooner you get your diagnosis, the faster you can find a remedy to use. In most cases, tic douloureux diagnosis involves identifying the specific painful areas on the face. Your doctor will also note details like the duration and frequency of your flare-ups. 

Sometimes, physicians also suggest keeping track of the triggers. Do you observe it right after brushing your teeth? Does stress have something to do with your more frequent tic douloureux flare-ups? 

It’s extra crucial to pay close attention to your symptoms and triggers so you can provide more accurate information during each visit. Your findings will also provide your doctor some clue as to how severe your condition has become. 

You might need to undergo diagnostic procedures like an MRI scan to determine whether you have a tumor pressing on the trigeminal nerve.

Besides your condition, we also strongly suggest looking into pre-existing diseases or disorders. Your doctor might need to look at possible connections with your tic douloureux or find a more suitable approach to address both ailments. 

Avoiding Tic Douloureux

Trigeminal neuralgia isn’t just challenging to deal with because of the severe pain that it causes. Instead, it’s hard to cope with this neurological disorder because it can easily get triggered by even the simplest things such as:

  • Touching your face 
  • Shaving
  • Chewing food 
  • Drinking beverages
  • Brushing after meals 
  • Talking to people
  • Putting on makeup
  • Feeling the breeze on your cheeks 
  • Showering
  • Smiling (or frowning)

Apart from these activities, other factors can also trigger worse tic douloureux flare-ups. Some examples of these include:

  • Air pressure fluctuations 
  • Cold weather 
  • High blood pressure
  • Excessive alcohol consumption 
  • Frequent exposure to stress 

By managing these factors or avoiding them, you can significantly cope better. It will also help you adjust your schedule or make necessary changes to your routine to reduce unavoidable triggers such as brushing your teeth, eating, and talking.

 

Popular and Effective Remedies for Tic Douloureux

Living with trigeminal neuralgia is challenging. It can lead to frustration and anxiety, mainly because it’s hard to avoid some of its key triggers. Thankfully though, patients can turn to several options for tic douloureux relief, such as:

Taking medications

Typical pain relief medications usually don’t work for patients with tic douloureux. That’s why doctors prescribe anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants. Sometimes, when the pain gets too severe, doctors recommend using botox injections or opioid pain relievers. 

Surgical intervention

While pain medications can provide quick relief, sometimes they become less and less effective when used frequently for tic douloureux. This is why some patients resort to procedures like glycerol injection, balloon compression, and microvascular decompression.

Atlas Bone Adjustment

Many patients can also turn to atlas bone adjustment. That’s because the C1 and C2 neck bones are usually the main culprits behind nerve compression. When they shift, even by a few millimeters, they can put pressure on the trigeminal nerve. 

Hence, by receiving upper cervical chiropractic adjustments, you can potentially get rid of the shooting or searing pain you experience when you move your face. 

Want to schedule your consultation to determine if you can use atlas bone adjustment for trigeminal neuralgia relief? We suggest calling an upper cervical doctor near you today.

 

Find An Upper Cervical Doctor in Your Areato schedule a consultation today.

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The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.

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