Trigeminal neuralgia is the general term for pain caused by the trigeminal nerve. It is also called TN pain and often called the “suicide disease” because of the intense pain, higher rates of suicide ideation of patients with severe migraines, and links to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Trigeminal neuralgia is pain that spreads over the face and down the neck, triggered by even the slightest breath of wind across the face. This condition is commonly misdiagnosed. Of all of the pain conditions that chronic pain patients experience, there are arguably none worse than the pan of trigeminal neuralgia, also called TN.
TN normally develops on its own; however, it can sometimes be brought on by dental treatments or facial trauma. A blood artery pressing against the trigeminal nerve, also known as vascular compression, may also trigger the condition. The rubbing of an artery against a nerve can wear away the coating, known as myelin over time, leaving the nerve exposed and very sensitive.
Because the symptoms of untreated TN can be similar to those of dental disorders, patients with undiagnosed TN may first try a variety of dental procedures to relieve their discomfort.
Those suffering from TN avoid social contact and daily activities such as eating and talking because they fear an attack. Many have been known to lose their jobs because of the debilitating nature of the pain. Marriages have dissolved due to the difficulty of providing care and support to persons with TN.
A military service connection for TN can be formed in a variety of methods, the most common of which is on a secondary basis. When a veteran’s pre-existing service-connected condition aggravates or cause a non-service-connected condition, a secondary service connection is sometimes possible.
Secondary service-connected conditions are graded in the same way as direct service-connected conditions. To be eligible for secondary service connection for TN, a veteran must first be service-connected for another condition such as multiple sclerosis, a tumor or cyst, face trauma that occurred while serving, or another medical condition that damages your myelin sheaths.
If you’ve been diagnosed with TN and believe it’s due to your military service, you might be eligible for VA disability compensation. There are three key criteria you must meet in order to do so. The first step is to acquire a diagnosis from a certified medical practitioner; if you haven’t already, schedule an appointment as soon as is feasible. Your appointment doesn’t need to be with a VA nexus doctor to get this diagnosis. It is fairly common with those veterans suffering traumatic brain injury. Other facial stress can also cause TN.
You’ll need to be able to point to a specific occurrence in your service record that triggered your TN once you’ve received a diagnosis. Finally, you must establish a medical link between the first or related occurrence and your diagnosis. You’ll be able to prove the link between your military service and your medical condition once you have these three criteria met. You can be eligible for a disability benefit.