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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffMake an appointment with your family doctor or primary care provider if you have symptoms common to trigeminal neuralgia. After your initial appointment, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the brain and nervous system (neurologist).
Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Write down any symptoms you've been having, and for how long.
- Note the triggers that bring on your attacks of facial pain.
- Make a list of your key medical information, including any other conditions for which you're being treated and the names of any medications, vitamins or supplements you're taking.
- Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor. Creating your list of questions in advance can help you make the most of your time with your doctor.
For possible trigeminal neuralgia, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is the most likely cause of my pain?
- Are there any other possible causes?
- Do I need any diagnostic tests?
- What treatment approach do you recommend?
- If you're recommending medications, what are the possible side effects?
- Am I a candidate for surgery? Why or why not?
- Will I need treatment for the rest of my life?
- How much do you expect my symptoms will improve with treatment?
- Should I see a specialist?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
- What are your symptoms?
- Where are your symptoms located?
- Are both sides of your face affected?
- When did you first develop these symptoms?
- Have your symptoms gotten worse over time?
- How often do you experience bouts of facial pain?
- What seems to trigger your facial pain?
- How long does an attack of facial pain typically last?
- How much are these symptoms affecting your quality of life?
- Do you have any other signs or symptoms in addition to facial pain?
- Have you ever had dental surgery or surgery on or near your face, such as sinus surgery?
- Have you had any facial trauma, such as an injury or accident that affected your face?
- Are you currently being treated or have you recently been treated for any other medical conditions?
- What medications are you currently taking, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs as well as vitamins and supplements?
- Have you tried any treatments for your facial pain so far? Has anything helped?
- Trigeminal neuralgia fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/trigeminal_neuralgia/detail_trigeminal_neuralgia.htm. Accessed Feb. 18, 2010.
- Bajwa ZH. Trigeminal neuralgia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 18, 2010.
- Sohur US. Trigeminal neuralgia. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/183930156-4/0/2088/674.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05609-0..00029-0--sc0175_13740. Accessed Feb. 18, 2010.
- Krafft RM. Trigeminal neuralgia. American Family Physician. 2008;77:1291.
- AAN and EFNS guideline on diagnosing and treating trigeminal neuralgia. St. Paul, Minn.: American Academy of Neurology (AAN). http://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/0601/p1001.html. Accessed Feb. 18, 2010.
- Young RF. Trigeminal neuralgia. In: Rakel RE, et al. Conn's Current Therapy 2008. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6642-2..00014-4--sc0075&uniq=183930156&isbn=978-1-4160-6642-2&sid=954069268#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6642-2..00014-4--sc0075%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-1-4160-6642-2. Accessed Feb. 18, 2010.
- Nerve blocks. Radiological Society of North America. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=nerveblock#part_nine. Accessed Feb. 18, 2010.
- Singla A. Trigeminal neuralgia. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/184337872-8/955217002/1678/94.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50092-4--cesec12_1483. Accessed Feb. 18, 2010.
- Swanson JW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 1, 2010.
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