Know about the suicide disease | Fusion - WeRIndia

Very little is known about Trigeminal Neuralgia, which is a nerve disorder that causes severe stabbing pains in parts of the face that are supplied by the trigeminal nerve. This disease is very rare, and many people do not even know of its existence.

However, for those who do have the disease, it can be a nightmare, and has even caused people to commit suicide. Thus, this disorder is also known as the “suicide disease”.

Yet, more information has come out about this rare but severe condition. This is what all people should know about Trigeminal Neuralgia.

One of the things that makes this disease so compelling is that the exact cause of it is still unknown. Doctors and scientists have speculated that the cause could be the compression of a nerve root by a large blood vessel, damage to the myelin sheath of the nerve, a brain lesion, or aging.

Although it affects less than 1 in 1 million people in India, Trigeminal Neuralgia occurs more commonly in women, especially women over the age of 50.

Trigeminal Neuralgia is extremely trigger happy, and the pain of this disease can even be caused by the slightest of triggers, such as eating food or smiling.

The pain itself is strange and incredibly excruciating, described as feeling like a lightning bolt, an iron block, and a splash of acid are all coming down onto the face at once.

People who suffer from the disease may also develop multiple sclerosis and experience migraines and cluster headaches. In the past, many people thought that their pain was caused by particularly severe toothaches, and would have their back teeth unnecessarily removed.

However, nowadays, more is known about Trigeminal Neuralgia, and it can be properly prescribed. Painkillers cannot treat Trigeminal Neuralgia, but anticonvulsants can, such as gabapentin and Trileptal.

In the cases where anticonvulsants do not work, doctors resort to surgery, which does not always solve the problem.

However, with more and more becoming known about this rare disease, doctors and scientists may soon find a common cause for Trigeminal Neuralgia, and therefore, perhaps they will also find a 100% foolproof cure for this excruciating pain.

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