Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a rare but excruciatingly painful disorder that affects about one in 15,000 people. TN patients suffer episodes of stabbing, electric shock-like pain in the eyes, lips, nose, scalp, forehead and jaw. The pain originates from the trigeminal (fifth cranial) nerve responsible for providing sensation to the face. The most common cause is thought to be compression of the nerve root by a blood vessel. The pain can be triggered when cold air touches specific facial areas or with movements like chewing, talking, smiling or swallowing. Because pain is often first experienced along the jaw, TN is frequently mistaken as a dental problem. TN is more common in women, and patients are typically middle-aged or seniors. The unpredictable, severe pain from TN is emotionally incapacitating and may significantly impact quality of life.