I Have Been Having Migraines For Over 15 Years. I

Posted on Tue, 18 Aug 2020

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 Answered on

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Question : I have been having migraines for over 15 years. I was diagnosed with trigemenal neuralgia about 7 years ago. When applying for benefits, I was told that the migraines I have been having is related to the trigeminal neuralgia and called it a

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (0 minute later)

I have been having migraines for over 15 years. I was diagnosed with trigemenal neuralgia about 7 years ago. When applying for benefits, I was told that the migraines I have been having is related to the trigeminal neuralgia and called it a

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Migraine and trigeminal neuralgia are not related.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for posting your query.

I am Dr Sudhir Kumar, Neurologist, and would try my best to help you.

I have noted your clinical details. Migraine and trigeminal neuralgia (TN) are two distinct diseases, and are not related in any way.
The pathophysiology, causes and treatment of these two conditions are totally different.

I sincerely hope my reply has helped you.

I would be pleased to answer, if you have any follow up queries or if you require any further information.

Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, XXXXXXX
For DIRECT QUERY to me: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar
My blog: http://bestneurodoctor.blogspot.com/

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (0 minute later)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (19 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
The differences are listed below

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back.

I will try to summarize the differences:

1. Migraine affects children and young adults; whereas trigeminal neuralgia (TN) affects adults and older population.

2. Migraine is linked to hormones and therefore more common in women between puberty and menopause. No such thing is observed with TN.

3. Migraine causes headache, whereas TN causes facial pain.

4. In TN, the commonest cause is a blood vessel pressing the trigeminal nerve. No such finding is noted in migraine.

5. Pain of TN is triggered with chewing, shaving, washing face, etc. Such things are not observed with migraine.

6. Pain of migraine is triggered with exposure to light and noise, which is not seen with TN.

7. Patients with migraine respond to propranolol, topiramate and divalproex tablets, whereas patients with TN do not respond to these medicines.

8. Patients with TN respond to carbamazepine, whereas patients with migraine do not respond to it.

9. In refractory cases of TN, radiofrequency ablation and microvascular decompression surgery help, whereas these procedures do not help migraine patients.

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (0 minute later)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (6 minutes later)

Thank you and I appreciate that response. Can you provide your or a medical opinion in as why they are different? I'm trying to gather information to support why it is different. So just saying that it is different without medical evidence or literature will not suffice my need. Thank you for taking the time to assist and give me the information I need.

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (0 minute later)

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (9 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
The journal references are below

Detailed Answer:
For migraine

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC0000/

For trigeminal neuralgia

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC0000/

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (0 minute later)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
My pleasure.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you and best wishes,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (0 minute later)

Brief Answer:
My pleasure.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you and best wishes,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (4 minutes later)

That was a good response and I thank you for that. That explanation of my two conditions are very accurate. My last question. Do you have recommendations to any medical journals that can support that evidence?

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (0 minute later)

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (11 minutes later)

Thank you again. This information has really helped me. I will close out this discussion and review you highly. Thank you again.

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (0 minute later)

Thank you again. This information has really helped me. I will close out this discussion and review you highly. Thank you again.