ABSTRACT
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a distinct syndrome characterized by paroxysms of brief stabbing pain in the face, often near the mouth. The single episodes or clusters of episodes may be followed by long pain-free intervals. The pain is described as mild to extremely intense with an incisive, stabbing or jabbing quality (Fields, 1996; Stookey & Ransohoff, 1959). The pain is often accompanied by a characteristic unilateral, intense grimacelike motor response.
