What is trigeminal neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which brings information about the sensation from your face to your brain. If you have TN, even mild stimulation of your face can bring about excruciating pain. TN is often described as one of the most painful conditions, with pain that can feel like electric shocks, burning, or stabbing.

Living with trigeminal neuralgia can be a severe struggle. It’s not just the sudden, severe facial pain; it’s the fear of when the next attack will strike, if even the wind on your face may trigger it. Everyday activities like eating, talking, or even smiling can trigger excruciating pain, leading to frustration and affecting every aspect of your life.

How can upper cervical chiropractic help trigeminal neuralgia?

Traditional approaches may involve lots of medications that may or may not work, and surgery on that nerve sometimes taking it out to alleviate the symptoms. Upper cervical chiropractic care (UCC) is a non-invasive, natural approach that may help. It is a targeted approach within chiropractic that emphasizes the alignment of the upper spine, particularly where the head meets the neck. This region, known as the craniocervical junction (CCJ), is unique to the rest of the spine in function, movement, and the surrounding structures.

The core idea behind UCC is that misalignments and dysfunction in this area can lead to further dysfunction in the body and provide altered input into the brain, which may contribute to TN flare ups. The trigeminal nerve takes input from areas close to the upper neck and brings them to the brain. If there is dysfunction in this area the altered input from this whole area may lead the brain to being extra sensitive in the area of the trigeminal nerve. Through gentle and precise adjustments, UCC seeks to correct these misalignments, thereby reducing the overall load on the body and restoring optimal function, which may enhance overall well-being.

Practitioners of UCC employ specialized diagnostic methods and techniques to evaluate and correct misalignments. Unlike conventional chiropractic methods, which may involve more forceful manipulations, UCC adjustments are gentle and focused specifically on the upper cervical spine. This approach aims to reduce biomechanical dysfunction and improve proprioception between the brain and body, which may help alleviate TN flare ups overtime and reduce the overall load on your brain.