Trigeminal nerve enables recognizing pain, touch, heat, and cold senses as well as chewing process.
Due to its bis size and diverse functions, damage to the trigeminal nerves can cause a few symptoms.
The trigeminal nerve is responsible for movement and sensation in the head and face. It is a large nerve in the head, consisting of three parts, that sends signals from the brain to parts of the face and vice versa.
Humans have two trigeminal nerves, one on each side of the face. They are one set of 12 pairs of cranial nerves.
What is the function of the trigeminal nerve?
The motion nerve fibers of the trigeminal nerve tell the muscles when and how to move. Its sensory nerve fibers transmit sensations of pain, touch, and temperature from the skin to the brain.
The trigeminal nerve consists of three parts: the ophthalmic (ophthalmic), maxillary and mandibular.
Each of the three sections has different functions.
The ophthalmic one provides sensory information for the face and skull in the space between the eyelids of each eye. It also provides sensation to parts of the nasal cavity. The nerve fibers in this section play an important role in pupillary dilation and provide sensation to the eyes.
The maxillary nerve provides sensory information to nasal cavities and sinuses and to the upper teeth. It also ‘controls’ the middle part of the face and skull – the area under the eyes and above the mouth.
The mandibular section is the largest of the three and contains both sensory and motor fibers. It provides sensation to the inside of the cheeks, mouth, lower teeth, and tongue. It also provides movement information to all the muscles involved in chewing. The mandibular nerve plays an important role in swallowing as well.
Thus, the structure of the trigeminal nerves resembles the branches of a tree that extend from the brain through the face.
Conditions and disorders
Several conditions and situations can affect the functioning of the trigeminal nerve.
- Head injury or brain disease.
- Pressure from neighboring blood vessels, tumors or swelling.
- Inflammation caused by certain infections, such as herpes zoster virus (the virus that causes shingles).
- Circulatory problems, such as microvascular disorders.
- Autoimmune diseases, such as scleroderma and Sjögren’s syndrome.
- Accidental damage to the brain and face.
- Dental operations.
Specific diseases associated with trigeminal nerve problems include:
- Neuralgia – a chronic disorder that causes attacks of intense pain in the face. It usually occurs when a blood vessel presses on the trigeminal nerve near the brain stem;
- Neuropathy – a general term for nerve damage, including the trigeminal nerve. It usually causes symptoms such as numbness, pain or other abnormal sensations (paresthesia);
- Cluster headache – pain on one side of the head that lasts from 15 minutes to three hours. The pain occurs daily for weeks or months, often at the same time and up to 8 times a day. Irritation or inflammation of part of the trigeminal nerve may cause cluster headaches;
- Lateral medullary syndrome (Wallenberg syndrome) – occurs when the blood supply to the brain stem is affected (by a stroke or blood clot). It disturbs the function of the trigeminal nerve and leads to symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, dizziness, and involuntary eye movements.
Treatment
Treatment of trigeminal lesions depends on the underlying cause of the inflammation. The trigeminal nerve can often recover from minor damage over time. The patient is usually prescribed pain relief.
In rare cases, surgery to reconnect the severed nerves may be needed.
Some people may even have a nerve transplantation done to replace the damaged nerve with a healthy one.
What are the symptoms of trigeminal nerve damage?
Symptoms of trigeminal nerve damage differ substantially due to the size of the nerve and its various functions.
An injury to the trigeminal nerve can affect a small area (e.g., part of the gums) or a large area (e.g., one side of the face). It depends on the location of the nerve injury.
Symptoms of trigeminal nerve injury include:
- numbness or tingling of the face;
- pain in the face;
- vision problems;
- jaw muscles spasms or weakness;
- difficulty chewing, speaking, or swallowing.
See your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.
Damage to the trigeminal nerve during dental procedures
Damage to the trigeminal nerve can result from dental treatment, such as root canal treatment, dental implants, tooth extraction, anesthetic injections, and others.
However, the trigeminal nerve is rarely damaged during dental surgery. Most nerve damage associated with the intervention is temporary (less than 3 months).
If the nerve is damaged during surgery, many patients initially feel numbness in the affected area. However, some may experience pain or discomfort, which may occur spontaneously or start during movement, eating, and touch.
If you have undergone dental surgery or treatment and notice any of the above symptoms after the local anesthetic should have worn off, it is necessary to seek your dentist’s advice.
The maxillary and mandibular parts of the trigeminal nerve can be affected during dental interventions.
Therefore, one should choose the clinic and a specialist to treat the teeth professionally. Other risk factors associated with nerve damage are age and the complexity of the dental surgery.
How to prevent trigeminal nerve damage
The trigeminal nerve is part of the human nervous system. The following steps can help keep your nervous system, including the trigeminal nerve, healthy:
- have well-balanced diet, containing vitamin D and vitamin B12, which support nerve state;
- treat chronic conditions that can damage the nerves, such as diabetes and hypertension;
- quit smoking, as tobacco slows down the flow of blood to the nerves;
- maintain your optimal weight;
- take up stress-reducing activity, like meditating, walking and others.
If you have problems with your eyes or jaw, or experience discomfort in your face, such as pain or numbness, it may be due to damage to the trigeminal nerve. See your doctor to find out the cause of these symptoms.