Herbs for Trigeminal Neuralgia Treatment

Trigeminal neuralgia is a form of nerve pain that involves the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve is located in the face and the pain is experienced on one side. Different activities can cause pain or worsen it such as walking, brushing your teeth, and applying make-up. This condition is rare and occurs more commonly in people over the age of 50. Although very uncommon, the condition has developed in young people.

The trigeminal nerve covers a large part of the face. It extends over the area of the eye, jaw and cheek. The cause is unknown but has been linked to nerve damage or compression of a nerve. Herbs for trigeminal neuralgia include white and black willow bark, betony, sweet woodruff, and meadowsweet.

White Willow Bark and Black Willow Bark

White willow bark is used to treat conditions that cause pain, inflammation, or fever. People use white willow bark instead of over the counter medications like aspirin because they are not as harsh on the lining of the stomach. The reason for this is because the salicin that is naturally found in white willow bark turns to acid form after the stomach has absorbed it.

Black willow bark is a herb used to treat trigeminal neuralgia. Black willow bark is very similar to white willow bark. It is used to relieve aches, pains, and fever.

Betony

Betony is used to treat conditions of the head. It is used to treat trigeminal neuralgia because it can relieve palpation pains of the head and face. Other conditions that betony can treat is hysteria, neuralgia, and nervous affections. Many people will drink betony as a tea with milk. Doing this for several weeks is said to heal headaches and other pains to the head and face.

Sweet Woodruff

Sweet woodruff is considered a tonic and has anti-inflammatory effects. It can also be used to treat insomnia, a side effect that people with trigeminal neuralgia suffer from. It can create a calm effect and let a person relax when they are tense or stressed. It is also used in wine and punches, to give people a calming, relaxed feeling.

Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet is used to relieve excruciating pains and used as an anti-inflammatory. It can help treat joint and muscle pain, and pain in nerve endings. Meadowsweet has also been used to lessen the amount of acid in the body. Increased acidic levels can cause pain in the joints and meadowsweet can reduce these acidity levels.

Before using herbs for trigeminal neuralgia, it is best to consult with your health care provider first.

References

Neurosurgery Today: Trigeminal Neuralgia - www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/patient_e/trigeminal.asp

Botanical.com: Uses and Treatments of Herbs - www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/w/wooswe31.html

DHerbs: Trigeminal Neuralgia - www.dherbs.com/articles/trigeminal-neuralgia-391.html

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