What MRI's Reveal About MS Patients with Trigeminal Neuralgia

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For those of us suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) as well as Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN), the attached picture is a copy of a recent MRI where they targeted the areas of the brain causing symptoms of TN. Note that I have Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS), so this slide shouldn't apply to every TN sufferer.

According to my neurologist, this slide is one of the best examples of a depiction of TN she has ever seen (glad to be of service as your guinea pig doctor...actually my neurologist is pretty cool).

My TN is Atypical, primarily on the right side of my face, affecting my upper lip and the right side of my face. When the TN is fully inflamed, it can inflict pain encompassing the entire area of the right side from my lower jaw up to my forehead.

For those of us unfamiliar with MRI pictures as it applies to MS patients, MS legions show up as little whitish ghosts against the darker background of the brain. In this case, the left side of the picture is the right side of my head. The white shadow to the left of the apex of my brain (the right side of my brain) is a cause of TN; in addition, the white areas on the right side of my face (to the left side of my nose as you look at the picture) is the central area of TN pain.

So any doctors out there have any advice?

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REALLY surprising! I thought they only looked at the nerve going from just below the temple to the jaw, to see if a blood vessel or bone is constricting it. That's how it was explained to me, so obviously my docs don't evenknow what they are looking for, and I also have an M.S. brain lesion. Though it causes symptoms, they can't write it down or treat me as an M.S. patient legally until I have MULTIPLE lesions. Interesting pic for sure!! Thanks for sharing. Now I can teach my doc something.

Best wishes,

Sheila

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I'm no expert Sheila, but I'm convinced blood vessels next to a nerve is the most common TN situation for those of us who don't suffer from MS.

I've used other routine MRI photos for a surgical prognosis, but none of them offered the perspective this photo displays.

I hope the pic helps, if this helps anyone it was worth the effort!

Good luck,

John