SYT Wellness · Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Knowledge
Facial Pain Like Knife Cuts
TCM Treatment for Trigeminal Neuralgia
Acupuncture for precise acupoint selection · Chinese herbs to dispel wind and cold · Pain ceases when Qi and blood flow smoothly
Book now via WhatsApp🖼️ Image Placeholder: Please insert AI-generated image — Patients experience severe, knife-like or burning facial pain. SYT Wellness Chinese medicine practitioners use professional acupuncture to relieve patients' pain.
Causes of Trigeminal Neuralgia
The trigeminal nerve is the thickest sensory nerve in the face, widely distributed across various areas of the facial skin, controlling sensory functions of the face, mouth, and nose. When a patient experiences brief, paroxysmal, lightning-like severe facial pain, modern medicine calls this trigeminal neuralgia.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the fundamental cause of this condition is insufficient vital energy and invasion by external wind-cold. The cold evil invades both sides of the face, leading to blockage of local meridians and obstructed flow of Qi and blood. "If there is obstruction, there is pain," thus triggering paroxysmal severe facial pain.
This condition is more common in adults, with more female than male patients, especially with a higher incidence after middle age. If not treated promptly, the frequency and severity of attacks may gradually worsen.
Clinical Manifestations and Triggering Factors
During an attack of trigeminal neuralgia, patients experience a sudden, severe facial pain like being cut by a knife, pricked by needles, or burned. The facial muscles on the affected side often experience reflective spasms at the same time. The pain is often unbearable, making it difficult for patients to perform normal daily activities.
The following daily activities and factors can all trigger pain attacks:
Each attack lasts from a few seconds to about a minute, but can occur multiple times a day, severely affecting the patient's quality of life and ability to eat. There are specific trigger points on the skin of the affected side of the face and in the oral mucosa. In Chinese medicine, these are called "Ashi points"; in Western medicine, they are called "Trigger Points." Touching these points will immediately cause pain, so patients often dare not touch the affected side of their face.
TCM Treatment Methods
SYT Wellness Chinese medicine practitioners use a comprehensive treatment plan of acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine. Based on the distribution of the trigeminal nerve branches, differential diagnosis and precise acupoint selection are performed to unblock facial Qi and blood. This is combined with Chinese herbal medicine to dispel wind and cold, improving the condition from both internal and external aspects, achieving both symptomatic and root cause treatment.
1. Acupuncture Treatment
According to the locations of the three branches of the trigeminal nerve, different acupoints are selected for precise unblocking of facial meridians, promoting the circulation of Qi and blood to achieve the effect of "no pain when free-flowing." Combined with local treatment of Ashi points, the treatment directly targets the affected area, effectively relieving pain.
2. Chinese Herbal Medicine Treatment
Based on the patient's individual constitution and condition, Chinese herbal medicine is prescribed to dispel wind and cold, activate blood and unblock collaterals, and relieve pain. This internally regulates vital energy, enhances disease resistance, treats both symptoms and root causes, and effectively prevents the recurrence of trigeminal neuralgia.
Acupuncture for facial pain mainly targets Cuanzhu, Yangbai, Hegu and other acupoints.
Acupuncture Acupoint Details
According to the distribution of the three branches of the trigeminal nerve, Chinese medicine practitioners use the following acupoints:
(Ophthalmic)
(Maxillary)
(Mandibular)
✳️ Actual acupoint selection is determined by registered SYT Wellness Chinese medicine practitioners based on individual conditions. The above is for reference only.
Helpful Tips — Daily Care Recommendations
During Chinese medicine treatment, coupled with correct daily care, the therapeutic effect can be effectively enhanced, reducing the frequency of attacks and accelerating recovery.
Rest more, stay warm, and avoid exposure to cold. When going out, cover your face, especially in cold or windy weather, to prevent cold wind from blowing directly on your face.
Avoid irritating foods such as shrimp, crab, spicy foods, cold drinks, and alcohol, to prevent aggravating inflammation and triggering pain attacks.
Do more "strengthening exercises" to enhance your constitution, boost vital energy, regulate immune function, and fundamentally prevent the recurrence of trigeminal neuralgia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Say Goodbye to Severe Facial Pain
Book a Chinese Medicine Consultation Now
Professional registered Chinese medicine practitioners provide precise acupoint acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal conditioning,
customizing a personalized treatment plan for you to fundamentally resolve trigeminal neuralgia.
RELATED TAGS
Related Pain/Clinics: Neck Pain · Shoulder and Neck Pain · Stiff Neck · Wan Chai Clinic · Jordan Clinic · Appointment Booking
Related Clinic-Formulated Products: Shop by Condition · Pain Topicals (Bone Tonic Cream/Plaster) · Signature Bone Tonic Cream · OsteoSoothe · MindRx (30 capsules) · Clinic-Formulated Products Description