Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) has been mentioned in various categories and, for those who do have it, the pain is intense and this topic justifies its own category.
I had an acoustic neuroma removed in 1986. 11 years later I had the first signs of TN. The cause was scaring inside due to the 1986 surgery and various things getting pulled around. After 6 years of Tegretol, Carbatrol, Trileptal, Neurontin, Topamax, Baclofen, Chiropractic, Acupuncture and wishful thinking - I had another surgery. This surgery is called microvascular decompression (MVD), it worked, I have been pain and drug free for 3 years.
To manage the drugs, I saw Dr. Graff-Radford at Cedars Saini's Pain Clinic in LA. The MVD was done by Dr. Shahinian, also a Cedars. I was very impressed by both, chose them after considering many others, and I would go back to each.