Fighting the Dark Days

There are so many dark days when you suffer from Trigeminal Neuralgia. There are days when you would do anything for a respite from the burning pain. It is so difficult to describe the pain. Some say it's like being stabbed in the ear with an ice pick, others say its like being burned. For me the It feels like there are hot coals underneath my skin. The pain radiates from by lower jaw to my ear and the entire left side of my face. I get sudden jolts of excruciating pain, which sometimes last for minutes. On a normal day I can get between 10 and 20 jolts. Medication may be helping, but it's still early days.

On these dark days, it is so important not to let Trigeminal Neuralgia beat you. When you wake up, make a decision. Do your make-up, hair and wear something pretty (if you are a guy reading this, just shower and shave, maybe put on a nice shirt etc)

I find that making a little effort helps keeps me sane and positive. My body does scream at me to stay wrapped up in bed, but I have to fight. Don't get me wrong, there are days when I let Trigeminal Neuralgia beat me. It's impossible to stay strong all the time. Do not let Trigeminal Neuralgia define you, it's a condition and it's serious, but try and maintain some sort of a life!

On a dark day, contact a support group. There are dozens on Facebook for example and I find them fantastic. There are people stuck in the same darkness and by helping each other, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.