Facial Pain and Trigeminal Neuralgia

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Neurology Evaluation for Electric Shock-Like Facial Pain and Complex Facial Pain Syndromes

Facial pain can be severe and disruptive. Trigeminal neuralgia often causes brief, electric shock-like pain triggered by talking, chewing, brushing teeth, touching the face, or cold air.

VerityMD Neurology evaluates facial pain to help determine whether symptoms are consistent with trigeminal neuralgia, migraine-related facial pain, neuropathic pain, dental or sinus contributors, medication effects, or another neurological condition.

Symptoms We Evaluate

  • Electric shock-like facial pain

  • Pain triggered by chewing, talking, brushing teeth, touching the face, or cold air

  • One-sided facial pain

  • Burning or stabbing facial pain

  • Facial numbness or tingling

  • Jaw, cheek, forehead, or eye-region pain

  • Facial pain not responding to usual treatment

Conditions We Help Evaluate or Manage

Services and How They Help

Neurology Consultation for Facial Pain

The evaluation reviews pain location, triggers, duration, associated symptoms, neurological exam, dental/sinus history, prior imaging, and medication response.

How this helps:

  • Clarifies whether symptoms fit trigeminal neuralgia or another condition

  • Identifies red flags

  • Guides imaging and treatment planning

Facial pain treatments may involve anti-seizure medications or other pain-modulating treatments that require monitoring.

How this helps:

  • Reviews efficacy and side effects

  • Identifies interactions

  • Supports individualized dosing and safety planning

MRI and Advanced Treatment Review

Some facial pain syndromes require MRI review or discussion of procedural options.

How this helps:

  • Looks for structural causes when appropriate

  • Supports referral coordination when needed

  • Clarifies whether Botox may be a selected option in medication-resistant cases

When Facial Pain & Trigeminal Neuralgia May Be Helpful

  • Electric shock-like facial pain

  • Facial pain triggered by touch, chewing, brushing teeth, or cold air

  • Medication side effects or incomplete relief

  • Facial numbness or atypical features

  • Need for MRI or advanced treatment discussion

What to Bring or Have the Referring Office Send

  • Referral from PCP, specialist, or referring provider

  • Medication list, including over-the-counter medications and supplements

  • Relevant prior neurological testing can help the neurologist understand what has already been evaluated and determine whether additional testing is appropriate.

  • Brain MRI reports if available

  • Dental or ENT evaluation if relevant

  • List of prior facial pain medications and side effects

Important Note

This page is for patient education and does not replace individualized medical advice. Testing and treatment decisions should be based on the patient’s history, examination, records, medications, insurance requirements, and clinical judgment.

Emergency Symptoms

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department for:

  • Sudden weakness, facial droop, trouble speaking, or new vision loss

  • Severe sudden headache or rapidly worsening neurological symptoms

  • Loss of consciousness, seizure, chest pain, or severe shortness of breath

  • New inability to walk or sudden severe dizziness with stroke-like symptoms

New Patient Referrals

VerityMD Neurology accepts new patient referrals by fax from the patient’s primary care physician, specialist, or referring provider’s office. To ensure accurate triage, insurance verification, and appropriate scheduling, referrals should be sent directly from the referring provider’s office.

Patients who would like to be seen at VerityMD Neurology should contact their PCP, specialist, or referring provider and ask them to fax a neurology referral with relevant clinical notes, insurance information, medication list, imaging reports, lab results, and prior neurology records if available.

We accept the following insurance

What Patients Say About Their VerityMD Experience

Being heard. Finding answers. Knowing what comes next.

Please Confirm Your Appointment Location

VerityMD sees patients at both our Carmichael and Folsom clinics. Please check your appointment confirmation text message before traveling to your appointment. Your confirmation will identify the correct clinic location.

Patients are responsible for arriving at the clinic listed in their appointment confirmation. Patients who arrive at the incorrect location will not be able to be seen for that appointment and will need to be rescheduled.

Neurology consultations and follow-up visits are available at both locations. All procedures are performed at our Folsom clinic.

VerityMD Neurology

Comprehensive neurological care for patients and families across the Sacramento region.

Our Locations

Folsom Clinic

Carmichael Clinic

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Referral Information: New patients require a referral from their primary care provider or referring clinician.