Contact Thermography in Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia and Other Facial Pains

Abstract

Contact thermography is a useful tool in the differential diagnosis of facial pain and can be used to differentiate idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia from atypical facial pain and anaesthesia dolorosa. The increase in sympathetic activity found in idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia has not previously been reported. The basis for this finding is discussed.

Key Words:

• Pain
• trigeminal neuralgia
• facial pain
• thermography
• liquid crystal
• sympathetic nervous system