What are the other Names for this Condition? (Also known as/Synonyms)

• Post-Herpetic Trigeminal Neuropathy

What is Trigeminal Post-Herpetic Neuralgia? (Definition/Background Information)

• The trigeminal nerve, or cranial nerve 5, is a highly complex bundle of nerves with both sensory and motor function. It is responsible for varied facial sensations and jaw muscle actions such as biting and chewing. The trigeminal nerve has three main branches/divisions, namely the ophthalmic nerve, maxillary nerve, and mandibular nerve
• Painful trigeminal neuropathy may be described as continuous to near-continuous pain, typically felt on one side of the face, from involvement of one or more trigeminal nerve branches. The variable intensity pain appears as a stinging (pins and needles) pain or burning pain and is generally non-triggered. Unlike trigeminal neuralgia, brief episodes of severe pain is not a common occurrence in painful trigeminal neuropathy
• Trigeminal Post-Herpetic Neuralgia is a form of painful trigeminal neuropathy caused by herpes zoster, affecting the trigeminal nerve branches and presenting persistent or recurrent one-sided facial pain for 3 months or more. Imaging studies can help establish abnormal changes and inflammation in the trigeminal nerve root and ganglion
• Herpes zoster, or shingles, is a viral infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). This skin condition is exclusively described in individuals who had a past history of chickenpox; immunocompromised individuals have a higher risk for the same. The infection affects the nervous system and causes the formation of tiny red blisters on the body, among other symptoms
• The pain in Trigeminal Post-Herpetic Neuralgia may be burning or severely itchy-type pain that can be extremely discomforting. Individuals with the condition also present sensory deficit, where the brain has difficulty in receiving and responding to sensory signals

The criteria for diagnosis of Trigeminal Post-Herpetic Neuralgia as outlined by the International Headache Society (IHS) is given below:

• Unilateral facial pain in the distribution(s) of a trigeminal nerve branch or branches, persisting or recurring for over 3 months and fulfilling the criterion below
• Herpes zoster has affected the same trigeminal nerve branch or branches
• Pain developed in temporal relation to the herpes zoster infection
• Not better accounted for by another ICHD-3 diagnosis

(Source: International Headache Society Classification ICHD-3, London, United Kingdom)