Symptoms

TN is somewhat more common on the right side of the face. It most often affects the side of the nose, lower eyelid, cheek, and the upper jaw, teeth, gums, and lip and/or the lower jaw, teeth, gums, and lip. You may have typical or atypical TN. People who develop typical or classic trigeminal neuralgia tend to have the following symptoms:

• Pain that feels like an “electrical shock” or “lightning bolt”

• Pain that occurs on and off – attacks of pain usually last from a few seconds up to several minutes and then get better. Some people may have many attacks of pain that occur one right after another. 

• Pain-free periods between attacks

• Pain that occurs spontaneously or is “triggered” by certain factors such as chewing, brushing your teeth, washing your face, applying make-up, and even by wind blowing on your face

• Pain that almost always occurs only on one side of the face

• Periods of remission and recurrence. TN pain may come more frequently or become more severe over time. You may have TN in one of the three branches of the trigeminal nerve that, over time, spreads to one or both of the other branches.

• No loss of sensation or feeling on the face

Atypical trigeminal neuralgia is another condition a person may have. Atypical TN is a term often used to describe pain that is somewhat different than classic or typical TN. People with atypical TN often have continuous pain that is dull, aching, or throbbing.

Learn more about other forms of facial pain that are similar or related to TN.