Trigeminal Neuralgia Treatment in Sharjah

What is trigeminal neuralgia treatment?

The trigeminal nerve carries feeling from the face: the forehead, cheek, jaw, teeth and gums. In trigeminal neuralgia, this nerve fires in brief, intense bursts, producing stabbing or electric-shock pain that lasts seconds and can repeat many times a day. It almost always affects one side, most often the cheek, upper or lower jaw.

The attacks tend to be set off by light, ordinary contact: brushing teeth, shaving, washing the face, applying make-up, chewing, talking or a breath of air on the cheek. Many people in the UAE first notice it as a sharp jolt when a car or office air-conditioning vent blows across the face.

Treatment has a clear order. Medicines designed to calm overactive nerves come first and help most people. An MRI looks for a cause, most commonly a small blood vessel pressing on the nerve where it leaves the brainstem. Surgery is kept for pain that stays uncontrolled or for medicines that prove hard to tolerate.

Who needs it

This service is for adults with brief, shock-like facial pain triggered by touch, eating or a draught, and for people already diagnosed whose pain has returned or whose medicines cause troublesome side effects.

Trigeminal neuralgia is very often mistaken for toothache. Because the pain sits in the jaw and is triggered by chewing, many patients see a dentist first, and some have healthy teeth filled, root-treated or removed before the nerve is recognised. A dental check through our Dentistry team is still sensible, since a cracked tooth or abscess is worth ruling out, and when the teeth are sound and the pattern fits, the nerve becomes the focus.

Alternatives are discussed openly. For many people, a well-adjusted medicine is the long-term answer. Where surgery is considered, the choice depends on the MRI, your age and general health, and how much you value a lasting result compared with a smaller procedure. Constant, dull or burning facial pain behaves differently and is often better assessed alongside our Neuroscience team; headaches with facial features are covered under migraine treatment.

What happens

Your neurosurgeon asks you to describe an attack in detail: where it starts, how long it lasts, what sets it off and whether there is background pain between shocks. A short examination checks feeling across the face, jaw strength and the other cranial nerves.

Medicines by purpose. The first-line medicines belong to a group that steadies overexcited nerves. They work differently from everyday painkillers, which is why standard pain relief usually brings little benefit. The dose starts low and rises gradually until attacks settle, sometimes with blood tests to check levels, salts in the blood or liver function. A second medicine may be added if one alone is insufficient.

MRI of the nerve. A detailed brain MRI, described on our neuroimaging page, looks at each trigeminal nerve along its path and shows whether a vessel is touching it. The scan also checks for less common causes such as a small growth or signs of multiple sclerosis, especially in younger patients.

Surgical options. Where a vessel is pressing on the nerve and you are fit for an operation, microvascular decompression may be offered. Through a small opening behind the ear, the surgeon gently moves the vessel away from the nerve and places a soft cushion between them, using magnification. This procedure is performed by the neurosurgeon at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah where suitable. Needle-based procedures that treat the nerve directly at the base of the skull, and focused radiation treatment (radiosurgery), are arranged by referral to specialist centres.

Preparing for it

Keep a pain diary for two weeks before your appointment: the time of each attack, its trigger and any medicine taken. Bring every medicine you use in its original packaging, plus dental records and any previous scan images on disc alongside the reports.

MRI and surgery usually need insurance pre-approval, so the team starts that request early. If you fast during Ramadan, raise it at the first visit, since nerve medicines are often taken at set times through the day and the schedule can be adjusted around suhoor and iftar.

Afterwards

On medicines, follow-up visits adjust the dose until the lowest level that controls pain is found. The condition can go quiet for months, and any reduction is planned with your doctor.

Do not stop a nerve medicine suddenly, as attacks can return quickly. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how a new medicine affects you, since dizziness and drowsiness are common at first.

After microvascular decompression, recovery begins with a short hospital stay, with timing set by your surgeon, and a gradual return to desk or driving work. In the UAE summer, keep well hydrated and avoid outdoor heat while recovering.

Call the hospital or go to the emergency department straight away if you develop a skin rash or blistering on a new medicine, severe unsteadiness or confusion, or, after surgery, a severe headache, fever, neck stiffness, vomiting, or clear fluid leaking from the wound or nose.

Cost and insurance

Most UAE insurance plans cover the neurosurgical consultation, medicines and follow-up. MRI and microvascular decompression generally require pre-approval, and procedures arranged by referral are approved separately. Confirm your cover with Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777.