I just want to let patients know that TMJ Dysfunction and Sinus Infection can trigger TN in some people. Just Google Michael Lim, M.D. John's Hopkins Trigeminal Neuralgia and listen to his Trigeminal Neuralgia Informational Video. It is about 45 minutes long and during the question and answer section, Dr. Lim states that sinus infection can trigger TN and that if a patient has TMJ Dysfunction that triggers TN, once the patient gets the TMJ Dysfunction fixed, the TN will also be fixed. So there is hope for everyone. Not everyone has TN because of an arterial loop or vein(s) compressing the trigeminal nerve as it exits the brain stem. Some triggers are: sinus infection and TMJ Dysfunction. Fix that and there is more than a good chance the TN will go into remission. Great information!
Thank you for posting, Adele.
This makes sense and I’ve often felt that this was part of my problem. However, I have yet to find out how to treat my tmj. I have the mouth guard, but other than surgery which I have heard nothing good about, it seems I’m stuck with my tmj.
I concur I had a sinus infection and it triggered a huge relapse that sent me to two densest. It is frighting today and I am still struggling with TN2
When I was first diagnosed, my PCP ordered a CT just to look for anything major like a tumor and the only thing they found at the time was that my sinuses were really full and she thought that might have been pushing on the nerve causing the pain. She put me on antibiotics for a month and all was good, for almost 3 yrs. Then it hit again. My flare was just a few days. Second flare lasted a couple of weeks. I'm in my third flare now and it's been off and on since Oct! I really wish this creature would've been my sinuses!!!!!
Jessica