Associated symptoms
The trigeminal nerve is the most important sensitive nerve in the facial area. If paresis or paralysis of the nerve occurs, this has major consequences for the affected patient. Depending on the location of the constriction or injury of the nerve, various failures occur.
If a central lesion occurs, i.e. an injury to the original nuclei of the nerve, complete sensitivity and the perception of pain and temperature can be lost, depending on the extent of the lesion. In addition, the mobility of the chewing muscles may be restricted. If the paresis is only present on one side, the cheek muscles can thus hang down slightly compared to the healthy side.
If the upper branch, the opthalmic nerve, is injured, the eyelid closure reflex may also fail. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for trigeminal neuralgia, i.e. nerve pain, to develop after injury to the trigeminal nerve or its branches. This is extremely painful and in some cases can only be well treated by surgery.
Treatment/Therapy
The therapy of a trigeminal nerve palsy depends on the underlying cause of the nerve paralysis. If there is an inflammation of the nerve or nerve sheath, one can try to get a grip on it with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, which is often successful. Some patients also report a quick recovery after acupuncture. If the trigeminal nerve or its branches are injured, in some cases spontaneous regeneration, i.e. the self-healing of the nerve, can occur after some time.If this is not the case, the nerve can also be sutured together again by surgery, which often results in only a small or no loss of function. If there are other causes such as masses in the space or a trigeminal neurinoma, these may have to be removed surgically.
Duration
The duration of a trigeminal nerve palsy depends largely on the underlying cause. If the inflammation is adequately treated, healing can occur within a few weeks. If there is an injury to the nerve, it can take months for the nerve to heal completely.
In such cases, sometimes only an operation can bring real improvement. If the trigeminal nerve is constricted by a mass or a tumor of the nerve sheath, a neurinoma, the symptoms can usually last until the constriction is treated surgically. In some cases, however, the trigeminal nerve is so severely damaged that the symptoms persist even after attempted therapy.
