A 24-year-old woman comes to the physician because of intermittent episodes of stabbing facial pain for 4 months. The pain occurs over her left cheek, is 9 out of 10 in intensity, radiates towards her mouth, and lasts around half a minute before subsiding. These episodes commonly occur when she washes her face, brushes her teeth, or eats a meal. She does not have visual disturbances, weakness of her facial muscles, or hearing loss. She had a tooth extracted about 2 months ago, but the facial pain has persisted. She has hypothyroidism and vitiligo. Her mother has major depressive disorder. Current medications include levothyroxine and herbal cream. She appears anxious. Vital signs are within normal limits. Cardiopulmonary examination shows no abnormalities. Neurological examination shows no focal findings. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's condition?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Trigeminal neuralgia is caused by compression of the trigeminal nerve (CN V) root as it enters the pons, usually by an abnormal vessel loop.  This leads to atrophy and demyelination of the nerve and causes short paroxysms of neuropathic pain.

A 24-Year-Old Woman Comes to the Physician Because of Intermittent