Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day: A Focus on CyberKnife Treatment

October 7 is International Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day, a time to highlight this debilitating condition and encourage those who experience symptoms to seek an expert opinion, as many cases of TN are frequently misdiagnosed.

Sometimes described as the most excruciating pain a person can experience, trigeminal neuralgia is a debilitating facial nerve disorder. It can occur when a blood vessel compresses the trigeminal nerve, one of the largest nerves in the head. The condition is characterized by episodes of intense electroshock-like, stabbing or burning sensations in the face that can be triggered by the slightest touch or even common actions like chewing or talking.

Reno CyberKnife uses advanced CyberKnife® technology to treat TN patients with stereotactic radiosurgery, a noninvasive method of treating certain types of tumors and conditions like TN with high-dose radiation beams delivered in five or fewer procedures. To treat a patient with TN, the CyberKnife delivers very precise radiation beams to a targeted segment of the trigeminal nerve to interrupt pain-causing fibers. The pinpoint accuracy of the procedure spares healthy tissue.

CyberKnife treatment for TN is typically a one-time, outpatient procedure and is completed within an hour. To hear from our Co-Medical Director Dr. Jonathan Tay and two former TN patients we treated, watch the video below.

This is not intended as medical advice to replace the expertise and judgment of your health care team. It is intended to help you and your family make informed decisions, together with your doctor.