Trigeminal Headaches have been a part of my life now for the past 6-7 years.
Up to being 26 I'd never suffered from any kind of headache and could often boast about the fact that even after drinking a few too many beers, the morning after I never ever suffered from hangover headaches!
That all changed one early morning as I was getting ready for work, I got this almighty stabbing pain behind my left eye that lasted only for a couple of minutes but left me unable to open my left eye and feeling rather dizzy. The pain eventually subsided but was left with a dull ache behind my eye and what seemed like in the middle of my brain,.
Over the next couple of months numerous visits to my doctors ensued. Firstly I was diagnosed with Sinusitus, given antibiotics but the pain was still there. Then I was told it was my eyesight, had them checked but all was fine. By this time my stress levels were sky high and I was convinced I had a brain tumour! not only this my family were suffering because of it too. I was finally told I had gotten a trapped nerve in the back of neck and prescribed anti-inflamitry drugs.
Again, finished the course and the pain was still there. I was at my lowest now, lost all faith in my doctors and took 3 weeks off work sick, just feeling sorry for myself.
Then one day I woke up, 3 months after the pain had started and there was no pain!!!! Talk about somebody lifting a very heavy weight of your shoulders!!!
Now let me bring you up to the present day. I'd still get the odd headache since my 3 months of hell and would quite often suffer from hangover headaches, and strangley enough the pain was always behind my left eye but alaways dissapeared after a taking a couple of Anadin.
That was up until 6 weeks ago, I'd been sleeping very poorly and quite stressed at work. I started with a headache one night, took a few paracetamol and went to bed. I awoke and the pain was still there! NOT AGAIN!!!!!
By now I had changed doctors, so went along to see if he had any different ideas from 6 years ago.
He told me it sounded like the nerves behind my eye becoming agitated due to me being stressed at work and this was causing the pain. Which explained why I get the same pain when I get a hangover, the brain swelling etc etc and pressing/agitating these nerves behind my eye.
I was given some drugs that apparently used to be used as anti-depressants but had a side effect where they were used to treat nerve damage in people after surgery etc.
I googled the name Amitriptyline and sure enough these tablets were also used to treat headaches caused by the Trigeminal Nerve. People can suffer these for weeks, and then nothing for years. BINGO!!!
I took the drugs for 8 days, each day the pain would decrease untill it had gone altogether! So just wanted to make all you guys out there aware of this little known to the public condition caused by the Trigeminal Nerve and that there is help at hand.
Thanks for reading thus far.
The trigeminal nerve (the fifth cranial nerve, also called the fifth nerve, V, or Old Fivesy) is responsible for sensation in the face. Sensory information from the face and body is processed by parallel pathways in the central nervous system.
The trigeminal nerve (also called the fifth cranial nerve) is one of the main nerves of the face. There is one on each side. It comes through the skull from the brain in front of the ear. It is called trigeminal as it splits into three main branches. Each branch divides into many smaller nerves.
The nerves from the first branch go to your scalp, forehead and around your eye. The nerves from second branch go to the area around your cheek. The nerves from the third branch go to the area around your jaw.
The branches of the trigeminal nerve take sensations of touch and pain to the brain from your face, teeth and mouth. The trigeminal nerve also controls the muscles used in chewing.
