Neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain. If you have trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face — such as from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup — may trigger a jolt of excruciating pain.
Symptoms
Neuralgia symptoms may include one or more of these patterns:
- Episodes of severe, shooting or jabbing pain that may feel like an electric shock
- Spontaneous attacks of pain or attacks triggered by things such as touching the face, chewing, speaking or brushing teeth
- Bouts of pain lasting from a few seconds to several minutes
- Episodes of several attacks lasting days, weeks, months or longer — some people have periods when they experience no pain
- Constant aching, burning feeling that may occur before it evolves into the spasm-like pain of trigeminal neuralgia
- Pain in areas supplied by the trigeminal nerve, including the cheek, jaw, teeth, gums, lips, or less often the eye and forehead
- Pain affecting one side of the face at a time, though may rarely affect both sides of the face
- Pain focused in one spot or spread in a wider pattern
- Attacks that become more frequent and intense over time
Treat neuralgia with essential oils
Numbing the area with ice often relieves the pain initially, so use a cold compress or ice treatment over the affected part. To help relieve any inflammation, gently apply the following oil:
Basic blend
| Lavender | 5 drops |
| Chamomile roman | 5 drops |
| Eucalyptus radiata | 2 drops |
| Cardamom | 2 drops |
Blend together and then dilute by adding 3–5 drops to each teaspoon (5 mL) of carrier oil.
Alternative blend
| Immortelle | 10 drops |
| Geranium | 10 drops |
| Chamomile roman | 5 drops |
| Rosemary | 1 drops |
Blend together and then dilute by adding 3–4 drops into each teaspoon (5 mL) of carrier oil. Gently massage a tiny amount into the area and repeat after five minutes.
Other Essential Oils That Could Be Used to Treat This Condition: peppermint, eucalyptus radiata, thyme linalol, *marjoram, sweet (Origanum majorana), *juniper berry (Juniperus communis), *immortelle (Helichrysum italicum)
