PubMed Health⌕ Search
Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 10332341

Trigeminal neuralgia.

J M Zakrzewska
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Trigeminal neuralgia is a sudden, severe, brief, recurrent, stabbing pain in the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. It is a rare condition whose etiology remains unknown. Diagnosis is by careful history and there are few investigations that are of value in the management of this condition. Management is initially medical with anticonvulsant drugs being the primary drugs. If the drugs are no longer effective or tolerated then surgical management needs to be considered. Surgery can be at a variety of different levels along the pathway of the trigeminal nerve. Each procedure has its advantages and disadvantage. It is crucial that throughout treatment the patient has been given fully informed choice.

Explore related subjects

AnticonvulsantsBaclofenCarbamazepineDiagnosis, DifferentialHumansIncidenceMuscle Relaxants, CentralPhenytoinTrigeminal NeuralgiaJournal ArticleReview

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

J M Zakrzewska. 1997. Trigeminal neuralgia.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10332341/

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2007

A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of zonisamide (zonegran) in the treatment of essential tremor.

Medical therapy for essential tremor (ET), a common movement disorder, is often inadequate. We performed a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of zonisamide (ZNS), an antiepileptic agent, in treating ET. Twenty patients (mean age, 60 +/- 15 years) with ET were randomized to receive ZNS or placebo. ZNS was initiated at a dosage of 100 mg/day and escalated to 200 mg/day at day 14. Patients were evaluated by accelerometry and the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin (FTM) rating scale at baseline and days 14 and 28, as well as the Clinical Global Impression (CGI-C) scale at day 28. At endpoint, subjects assigned to ZNS were taking a mean dosage of 160 +/- 50 mg/day. There were no significant improvements in the FTM total score or its subsections. Tremor amplitude as assessed by accelerometry significantly improved in the ZNS group compared to the placebo group at endpoint relative to baseline (-0.50 +/- 0.72 vs. 0.30 +/- 0.79 m/s(2); P = 0.03). On the CGI-C, 60% (n = 6) of patients in the ZNS group felt that their tremor was unchanged, while the remaining patients felt that their tremor was "minimally improved." Thirty percent (n = 3) of patients taking ZNS discontinued the study due to side effects (fatigue, headache, paresthesias) while taking 100 mg per day. ZNS did not provide significant improvements in clinical rating scales at study endpoint compared to placebo and was only modestly well tolerated. ZNS was effective in reducing tremor amplitude as measured by accelerometry.

Anticonvulsants↗