What is the difference between trigeminal neuralgia and seventh cranial neuralgia, their symptoms, and causes? There are twelve cranial nerves in the body, which are responsible for sensory and motor functions of the head and neck, including the trigeminal and seventh cranial nerves. We will learn about the difference between each of them and effective treatment methods.
What is trigeminal neuralgia
The fifth cranial nerve, also known as the trigeminal nerve, is the largest cranial nerve and is responsible for sensation in most parts of the face and supplies the muscles of mastication.
Trigger nerve pain is severe facial pain resulting from inflammation of the fifth cranial nerve. It causes involuntary spasms and may occur every few hours or minutes.
What is the seventh cranial nerve
The seventh cranial nerve, also known as the facial nerve, is responsible for facial expressions and muscle movement, such as smiling and winking. It also contributes to the secretion of tears and saliva. It also transmits the sensation of taste from the front of the tongue.
Bell's palsy, also known as facial paralysis, is a weakness on one side of the face, causing a person to lose control of their facial muscles.
Branches of the Trigeminal Nerve
It is divided into three main branches, including:
- The ophthalmic branch, which covers the forehead, eye, and upper eyelids.
- The maxillary branch, which controls the middle part of the nose, face, cheeks, and upper gums.
- The mandibular branch, which controls the lower part of the face, jaw, lip, and gums, is the last and only branch with motor function and controls the muscles of mastication.
Branches of the Trigeminal Nerve
Five branches branch from the Trigeminal Nerve, including:
- The buccal branch, which controls the muscles responsible for moving the nose, eye movement, upper lip, and smiling.
- The frontal branch, which controls the muscles of the forehead.
- The zygomatic branch, which controls the muscles of eye closure.
- The cervical branch, which controls the inferior chin muscle and lowering the angle of the mouth.
- The marginal mandibular branch, which controls the muscles of lower lip movement.
Causes of Trigeminal Neuralgia
The primary cause of trigeminal neuralgia is unknown, but there are some conditions that can cause trigeminal neuralgia, including:
- Primary trigeminal neuralgia occurs when an artery or vein around the trigeminal nerve is damaged, causing pain and irritation.
- Secondary trigeminal neuralgia occurs when a tumor compresses the trigeminal nerve.
- Other diseases can also cause trigeminal neuralgia, such as vascular diseases and multiple sclerosis.
Causes of Seventh Neuralgia
Although there is no clear cause for trigeminal neuralgia, it can be associated with a viral infection, such as:
- Herpes virus.
- Varicella virus.
- Mumps virus.
- Cytomegalovirus.
- Epstein-Barr virus.
- Adenovirus.
What is the difference between trigeminal neuralgia and seventh neuralgia
The trigeminal nerve is responsible for sensation in the face and chewing movements. The pain is typically felt in the form of sharp, electric shock-like attacks. The seventh nerve is responsible for facial muscle movement, and pain can occur in the form of facial paralysis and a crooked mouth.
Symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigger nerve pain typically appears on one side of the face, but it can also affect a wider area. Some people may experience facial spasms. Symptoms include:
- Severe, shock-like pain that comes and goes and may last for a few minutes.
- The pain affects only one side of the face, and the person may feel pain in the cheek, face, and teeth.
- Pain occurs when chewing, touching the face, or speaking.
Symptoms of Seventh Nerve Disorder
Symptoms of seventh nerve disorder appear suddenly and include:
- Mild weakness or complete paralysis on one side of the face.
- Difficulty making facial expressions, such as closing the eyes and smiling.
- Pain around the jaw or in the ear.
Treatment of Trigeminal and Bell's palsy
The treating physician relies on:
- Anticonvulsant medications such as carbamazepine, and other tricyclic antidepressants such as gabapentin.
- He prescribes glycerol or Botox injections to reduce pain.
- He resorts to surgical treatment using microvascular decompression surgery to isolate the nerve from the arteries compressing it.
- He prescribes physical therapy sessions to reduce muscle tension and improve blood flow.
- How do we differentiate between trigeminal neuralgia and toothache
- Trigeminal neuralgia pain is usually different from toothache. Trigeminal neuralgia pain comes on suddenly and occurs in the form of sharp attacks similar to an electric shock. It may be felt in various areas of the face, such as the cheek, jaw, and gums.
- Toothache can be persistent and worsen with cold or heat, and may be caused by a problem within the tooth itself, such as decay, an abscess, or inflammation of the dental nerve.
Summary of the Difference Between Trigeminal and Seventh Nerve Pain
The main difference is that the trigeminal nerve is responsible for sensation in the face and chewing movements, and the pain occurs in the form of sharp attacks similar to electric shocks.
While the seventh nerve is responsible for expressive facial muscle movements, such as smiling and closing the eyes, the pain occurs in the form of facial paralysis and a crooked mouth.