Gamma Knife is used to treat Trigeminal Neuralgia

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also called tic douloureux, is a chronic pain condition that causes extreme, sporadic, sudden burning or shock-like face pain. TN pain is typically felt on one side of the jaw or cheek and can be physically and mentally incapacitating. The pain seldom lasts more than a minute or two per episode. Episodes can last for days, weeks or months at a time and then disappear for months or years. In the days before an episode begins, some patients may experience a tingling or numbing sensation or a constant aching pain. The attacks often worsen over time, with fewer and shorter pain-free periods before they recur. The intense flashes of pain can be triggered by vibration or contact with the cheek (such as shaving, washing the face or applying makeup), brushing teeth, eating, drinking, talking or being exposed to the wind. TN occurs most often in people over age 50 and is more common in women than in men. Although sometimes debilitating, the disorder is not life-threatening.

The presumed cause of TN is a blood vessel pressing on the trigeminal nerve in the head as it exits the brainstem. TN may be part of the normal aging process but in some cases it is the associated with other disorders, such as multiple sclerosis or other disorders characterized by damage to the myelin sheath that covers certain nerves.

For more information on TN, visit the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.