LEWISTON – A trigeminal neuralgia meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27, at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Women’s Health Pavilion, Fleet Room, Sabattus Street. Park in Lot H.

The meeting is for men and women with trigeminal neuralgia and interested friends and family. The intent is to meet other persons with the disorder and share pain management strategies, coping strategies and support. If there is enough interest, participants will discuss bringing in professionals to talk on treatment options.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a disorder of the fifth cranial nerve, the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for sensations of touch, pain and temperature in most areas of the face.

TN causes sudden jolts of pain in the face, which people often describe as jabbing, searing, shock-like or shooting. In some people TN also causes continuous pain in the face. The disorder has been diagnosed in approximately 40,000 to 50,000 people in the U.S. and usually affects one side of the face. Most persons are over 50 years old; however, young persons have also been diagnosed with it.

Often the pain is triggered by a light touch to the face, eating, brushing teeth or a light breeze. The pain is known to run in cycles with pain-free periods. The pain-free periods tend to become shorter and fewer over time. The pain is intense and can become disabling.

Some of the causes of TN include a blood vessel that is compressing the trigeminal nerve, degeneration that comes with aging of the nerve, multiple sclerosis or a tumor. Often the cause is unknown. TN is not fatal but the pain can be excruciating.

Treatment usually begins with medications, which help keep the trigeminal nerve from misfiring. These medications can help control the pain; however, they have many side effects. Other treatments include gamma knife radiation and surgery.

Although there are trigeminal neuralgia support groups around the country, there are no support groups in northern New England. The Oct. 27 meeting is the first TN group meeting in Maine.