Trigeminal Neuralgia is experienced by many to be the "most terrible pain known to man."  The electric shock-like  pain generally is on one side of the face and is spasmodic, coming in short  bursts lasting a few seconds. Right  side is commonly  affected. Trigeminal neuralgia is a disorder of the trigeminal nerve, one of twelve pairs of cranial nerves in the head. The cranial nerves control movement and sense pressure, touch, pain and temperature in the head and neck.

Trigeminal neuralgia pain appears suddenly as a sharp electrical, shocking, stinging, stabbing pain.There is no facial numbness or weakness. It lasts for several seconds and may repeat many times during the day. Usually only one side of the face is affected. The pain may last for days, weeks or months and then may disappear for months, even years. In between the attacks the patient is perfectly normal.

The  pain  is  reflected from  the  three  branches  of  the  trigeminal  nerve. The  ophthalmic  branch  may  reflect  on the  eye, forehead and  nose. Maxillary  pain  felt  over upper teeth, gum, lip, the cheek, lower eyelid and the side of the nose. Mandibular the third branch affects lower teeth, gum, lower lip and the jaw.

The  pain is often triggered by cold air, hot liquid, chewing, talking, shaving, eating and a host of other things. The triggers may vary from person to person.