Indian Superstar SALMAN KHAN suffers from 'Trigeminal Neuralgia', undergoes Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

Salman Khan the bad-boy of Indian Cinema has been diagnosed with a neurological condition that causes excessive pain. 

Trigeminal Neuralgia is one of the most dreadful pain that men can suffer from. Hereby a very brief over-view of what this disorder truely is:

What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?

Trigeminal neuralgia is a nerve disorder that causes a stabbing or electric-shock-like pain in different parts of the face.

What Causes it?

The pain comes from something blocking or obstructing the trigeminal nerve. 

It can affect part or all of the face, and the surface of the eye.
Trigeminal neuralgia may be caused by:

• Multiple sclerosis
• Pressure on the trigeminal nerve from a swollen blood vessel or tumor

Who is more prone to get it?
The condition usually affects adults above the age of 40yrs. But younger cases have also been reported.  In many cases its part of the normal aging process.

What are the symptoms?
1. Very painful, sharp electric-like spasms that usually last a few seconds or minutes, but can become constant
2.Pain is usually only on one side of the face, often around the eye, cheek, and lower part of the face
3.Pain may be triggered by touch or sounds
4.Painful attacks can be triggered by common, everyday activities, such as: Brushing teeth,Chewing, Drinking, Eating, Lightly touching the face, Shaving, etc.

How to Detect it?

The only way of detection is through a complete and professional neurological examination.

Tests that are helpful to find the condition:

• Blood tests
• MRI of the head
• Trigeminal reflex testing

What is the treatment?

A. Primarily treatment includes to control pain. Over-the-counter pain killers are useless in most cases. And medicines specific to find neurological pain are utilized in doses determined by a proper medical professional.

These medicines include:

1. Muscle relaxants

2. Certain categories of Antidepressants ( yes, antidepressants are classical examples of judging a book by its cover. They are very powerful molecules that are not always addictive and sedative, but have very powerful pain-kiiling property along with the added benefit of helping fight sudden huge amounts of stress and the feeling of "what is happening to me?" "why is it happening to me?")

3. Anticonvulsants - another set of medicines that are judged by their name not their action. These are extremely beneficial in decreasing the pain, providing protection against nerve damage and preventing muscular damage due to sudden spasm. 

B. Severe Cases that don't improve with a few weeks of medications require immediate surgery. Surgical focus is to find the areas of blockage that might be affecting the nerve.

 He underwent  a surgery with “Gamma Knife”  which lasted for 8 hrs according to the press releaase (PTI) .

The Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a non-incision procedure. Planning for the procedure is performed by the expertise of a neuroradiologist, radiation oncologist, medical physicist, and a neurosurgeon .

Gamma knife surgery is a four-step procedure.

1. The patients are first fitted with the Leksell stereotactic head-frame.
2. Magnetic resonance imaging is used to obtain the high resolution images of the target and the surrounding structures
3. The trigeminal nerve is identified in coronal, axial, and sagital planes on its course from the brainstem to Meckel’s cave.
4. The trigeminal nerve is targeted at the location of an imaged vascular compression, or at the site of exit of the trigeminal nerve from the pons if no compressing vessel is identified. (Normally The ElectaÒ Leksell gamma knife unit with cobalt-60 sources is used to irradiate the target )

The exact mechanism of pain relief is unknown. It is thought to be a two step process. Patients report an immediate decrease in the intensity of the pain even if the attacks still occur. This is postulated to be the result of an immediate interruption of ephaptic transmission. Several weeks later there is complete cessation of the attacks. This is probably secondary to delayed demyelination injury to the nerve. 

( Source : http://tinyurl.com/3cd632c ) and Mind Mantra Wellness Concepts