Salman Khan on ‘suicidal’ facial pain: What is Trigeminal Neuralgia and how is it treated?

What is trigeminal neuralgia?

TN is a chronic nerve disorder that causes sudden episodes of intense facial pain. It affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensations from the face to the brain. When irritated or damaged, the nerve triggers bursts of pain often described as electric shocks. Though not life-threatening, TN can severely affect daily life.

Salman recalled that eating a simple omelette could take him over an hour and a half. Even 750 mg of painkillers barely helped. At first, his symptoms were mistaken for dental problems, which is common as TN can mimic toothaches or sinus pain. He remembered his first attack while filming Partner: “Lara was there, and a strand of her hair touched my face. I jokingly told her she was electrifying — but the truth was, I was in immense pain.”

What are the Symptoms?

People often say that the bursts of pain feel like electric shocks. Between the intense attacks, people may feel:

• Intense, stabbing or shock-like facial pain


• Episodes lasting seconds to minutes, repeating many times a day


• Persistent aching or burning between attacks

Trigeminal Neuralgia comes in two main categories—

Paroxysmal TN: sharp, intense pain lasting seconds to minutes, with pain-free intervals

TN with continuous pain: less sharp but constant burning or stabbing with background discomfort

Pain usually affects one side of the face, rarely both (not at the same time).

Common Triggers

Even simple daily tasks can trigger an attack, like:

• Touching the face (washing, shaving, makeup)


• Eating, drinking, talking


• Exposure to wind or even a gentle breeze

Causes

Multiple reasons can cause TN, but they mainly fall under these three categories

Primary (classic) TN: blood vessel pressing on the nerve root

Secondary TN: linked to conditions like multiple sclerosis, tumours, or vascular problems

Idiopathic TN: no clear cause identified

Diagnosis
Neurological tests and MRI scans are vital to confirm TN and rule out other issues like tumours, MS, migraines, cluster headaches, or jaw joint problems.

Treatment

Calling TN the “suicidal disease,” Salman stressed that treatments are now available.

• Medications (primary treatment option):


• Antiseizure drugs like carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine, which stop pain signals


• Other options include gabapentin, pregabalin, and lamotrigine


• Muscle relaxants such as baclofen can also help


• Surgical or procedural options (when medications don't work or cause bad side effects):


• Microvascular decompression: shifting the blood vessel away from the nerve root; invasive but provides long-term relief


• Radiosurgery: focused radiation to lessen pain signalling


• Rhizotomy: harming part of the nerve to block pain (may result in numbness)


• Peripheral neurectomy: taking out or damaging nerve branches to reduce pain

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.