A 43-year-old Tech-guru (Patient ID: 53698) visited Life Force Homeopathy, Jayanagar branch, on 9th February 2024, for his complaints of trigeminal neuralgia, which he had been suffering from since 2013. He described experiencing severe, electric shock-like pain radiating from his left cheek to the left forehead and behind the left ear. He was highly sensitive to drafts of cold breeze. The patient was having 7 episodes of pain per day, each lasting 30 minutes.
An MRI brain scan dated 16th March 2015 revealed a tortuous left vertebral artery impinging on the undersurface of the left trigeminal nerve root extending zone, likely contributing to his symptoms.
Let us understand a little about Trigeminal neuralgia:
Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from the face to the brain. Symptoms range from mild to severe facial pain, often triggered by chewing, speaking, or brushing the teeth.
In many cases, the cause of trigeminal neuralgia is never found. However, known causes include:
1. A swollen blood vessel or tumor putting pressure on the nerve.
2. Multiple sclerosis.
Triggering factors include brushing teeth, shaving, touching the face, eating or drinking, speaking, applying makeup, and exposure to a breeze on the face.
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His past medical history and family history were reviewed and updated, and his previous and current prescriptions were recorded for future reference. Notably, the patient had never used painkillers and had only taken homoeopathic medicines, but he had not experienced satisfactory results until then. The patient's ongoing pain significantly affected his everyday life and general well-being, so he sought relief.
A detailed case history was taken, including both mental and physical symptoms.
Physical generals:
The patient had an average appetite and was a non-vegetarian. He craved sweets and had an increased thirst, drinking around 6-8 litres of water daily. His perspiration was average, and he could not tolerate extreme cold. His bowel movements were normal, and there were no urinary issues. He slept well and preferred lying on his right side.
The patient had an addiction to cigarette smoking, consuming one pack of cigarettes daily.
Mental generals:
The patient reported having a happy childhood with a supportive family. His married life was also satisfactory. He described himself as mild, gentle, and reserved, though extroverted with those he was comfortable with. He was a workaholic and very duty-bound, strictly adhering to rules and regulations. He had a short temper and became angry when things did not go according to plan or when others didn’t follow his instructions. He enjoyed farming and planting trees.
His intellectual abilities, including memory, intelligence, perception, and logic, were all good. His systemic and general examination was conducted, and his blood pressure and weight were checked and updated in the case file.
Dr. Shah reviewed the entire case and prescribed CHELIDONIUM 30 along with Dr. Shah’s research-based medicines were prescribed according to the patient's symptom totality.
He was explained about the scope, prognosis, and duration of the Homoeopathic treatment in his case. Also, since he was a heavy smoker he was counseled to reduce smoking and ultimately over time to stop smoking, since smoking directly impacts how the brain and trigeminal nerve process pain. Smokers are more likely to have TN that starts at a younger age, causes more widespread facial pain, and has a worse long-term outcome after surgery.
You can go through the Video of Dr.Rajesh Shah explaining the scope of Homoeopathy in Trigeminal neuralgia:
Follow-ups:
The first follow-up was on 18th March 2024. The sharp, electric-like shooting pain had improved by 90% after starting treatment.
The second follow-up was on 6th June 2024. The patient was stable, and in the four months since starting treatment, he had not experienced a single episode of pain.
The condition remained stable in subsequent follow-ups. The final follow-up was on 20th November 2024, where the patient was completely better and extremely happy with the results at Life Force, which he had never experienced before. He was very grateful to Dr. Shah and the entire Life Force team for treating his condition.
Conclusion:
Homeopathy works extremely well in most cases of trigeminal neuralgia. It helps control the underlying process of nerve damage and enhances the pain threshold. Homeopathy is safe, non-toxic, and does not interfere with other medications. It also helps reduce the dose of conventional medicines for trigeminal neuralgia once improvement sets in.
