Trigeminal neuralgia is a kind of chronic pain that affects the face. It causes sudden burning or shock-like pain that is extreme in nature. It usually only affects one side of the face. It often is triggered by simple, everyday activities such as:
- Chewing
- Washing the face
- Smiling
- Brushing the teeth
- Putting on makeup
- Sleeping on the side that the attacks occur on
These are activities that are often performed, and it can be very exasperating to worry each time you do them that they will trigger an attack. Primary care doctors often recommend medication, injections, and even surgery to combat this problem. These often do relieve the symptoms. However, if the underlying cause is not addressed, trigeminal neuralgia will just recur at some point.
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How is the Neck Connected to Trigeminal Neuralgia?
The spine has the job of protecting the spinal cord. The spinal cord is the super highway between the body and brain. It is the main source of communication. Signals are sent to and from the brain and body via the spinal cord. The top two bones of the upper neck, the C1 (atlas) and C2 (axis), are vital to the health of the spinal cord. If they become misaligned for any reason, they can place pressure on the spinal cord causing the signals sent by it to be hindered. This can be one reason for trigeminal neuralgia.
As an upper cervical chiropractor, I have been trained to find these misalignments and then work with my patients to correct them. I use a low force adjustment to realign the bones of the neck. Does this work for those with trigeminal neuralgia?
A case study was performed involving a 58-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia 6 years previously. She received upper cervical chiropractic care for 9 weeks and during that time saw her symptoms go away. She did not have one attack while being treated.
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If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
