The month of October is Facial Pain Awareness month, but specifically October 7th is International Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day. It’s a day set aside for all those with this painful disease to feel seen and heard. A day to spread awareness. And a day to ask, beg, and pray for a cure. It is a day to renew hope.

So, what is trigeminal neuralgia (TN)?

Here is what TN is in a nutshell.

Trigeminal neuralgia, also known as tic douloureux is a neurological pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve, specifically the fifth cranial nerve. There are two trigeminal nerves, and each nerve is connected to the brain stem. Each are responsible for the function and the sending of sensations to each side of the face. When working correctly, most people don’t think about, let alone know, what the trigeminal nerve is. And likely, most have never heard of the tongue-twisting named disease called trigeminal neuralgia (TN).