Timing Medications
If there are activities that you struggle with e.g. shaving of the face, brushing your teeth, then time your medication to facilitate these activities is wise.
- E.g. Some people may find that thier pain is greatly reduced 1-2 hours after the medicine gets into your system, so plan your activities around this or take your medications slightly earlier or later to work round your plans
- Please note we do not suggest wildly varying your medication intake, however a one or two hour difference is fine
Take your vitamins!
It is important to keep the body healthy to help manage the pain-pathways. Vitamin B Complex, especially vitamin B12, has some evidence in helping regulate nerve function and may be beneficial.
Consider a counsellor or therapist
TN is tough, there is doubting it, Many sufferers find that a good support bubble is essential to maintaining good quality mental health. Furthermore, it is common for suffers, once they go into remission, to have worries about TN returning, Future planning with therapists can help give you a sense of control to these situations. EMDR therapy can be useful if you have unwanted thoughts or worries about TN.
For more tips, why not sign up to TNA and join the forum? Members discuss all sorts of helpful strategies that may work for them.
Get out there!
We know that TN can stop you from going out. Some people may get triggered by the weather e.g. wind, which can make leaving home daunting. However, it’s important not to become isolated. Most patients agree that having people around you who understand what you’re going through can really help with the journey. We recommend joining a local TNA support group.
Stress Management
Find activities that help manage your stress. It is well documented that increased stress can lead to an exacerbation of pain-conditions such as TN. Furthermore, stress can also cause TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction) which is pain of the jaw joint. As this is in a similar area to TN and can cause shooting pains to the ear or dull throbbing aches, it may even mask or confuse whether the pain is TN or not.
Keep a pain diary
Understanding the times and triggers for your attacks may help you to plan better, know your limits and minimise recurrences. It is important to make the pain diary detailed:
- The time of the attack
- What were you doing
- How long it lasted
- Was it classical pain? E.g. shooting or something different
