By – Ms. Palak Dengla, Chief Physiotherapist, Aster RV Hospital

What Is This Condition?

Imagine someone stabbing your face with a hot knife every time you smile, eat, or feel a breeze. That’s trigeminal neuralgia – when your facial nerve goes haywire, sending lightning-bolt pain through your cheek, jaw, or forehead.

Who Gets Hit?

This nightmare strikes 4-13 people per 100,000 yearly. Women get it more often, usually after age 50. In India’s cities, we’re seeing more cases.

Why “Suicide Disease”?

The pain is so crushing it drives people to desperate thoughts. When you can’t eat, drink, or speak without agony, life becomes unbearable.

Celebrity Reality Check

Bollywood star Salman Khan revealed his battle in 2011, saying he wouldn’t wish this pain on his worst enemy. Even superstars aren’t immune.

What Actually Helps?

Problem Muscles: Your jaw muscles (masseter, temporalis) and deep chewing muscles go into painful spasms, squeezing the nerve.
Myofascial Release Magic: Studies show releasing trigger points in these specific muscles works wonders:
• Lateral pterygoid (deep jaw muscle) – most important
• Masseter (cheek muscle)
• Temporalis (temple muscle)

Postural Correction: Examining and correcting the posture of sitting and sleeping has worked dramatically in my experience

Research proves 10 sessions of targeted muscle release as part of other Physiotherapy regime helps patients in long term.

Daily Survival Tips:

• Ultra-soft toothbrush
• Lukewarm, mushy foods only
• Gentle face massage
• Anti-seizure medications
• TENS therapy

Take away: Remember: this condition is beatable with the right team – doctors, physiotherapists, and your support system working together. Combining muscle release therapy as part of Manual Therapy of Physiotherapy and medication beats this condition. You’re not helpless – there’s real hope with the right treatment team.