Trigeminal neuralgia attacks are very harmful, and the pain is as severe as knife cuts and electric shocks, often causing patients to suffer. If not treated in time, trigeminal neuralgia attacks will become more frequent as the condition worsens, and patients will suffer more intense pain. How to diagnose trigeminal neuralgia? Sensory examination The skin sensation of the face is mainly distributed by the sensory branches of the trigeminal nerve. The sensory roots of the trigeminal nerve are thick, and the cells are concentrated in the trigeminal hemianopia, from which three large and thick trunks are emitted: the ophthalmic branch, the maxillary branch and the mandibular branch. 2.Reflex examination The function of the nervous system is very complex, but its basic activity is reflex, and the human body has many reflexes, such as the sensory nucleus of the trigeminal nerve sends out many secondary fibers, except those reaching the thalamus, mostly ascending or descending in the ipsilateral reticular formation, and its terminal and lateral branches finally end up in the motor nucleus of the cerebral nerve, and form many reflex arcs. Motor examination mainly examines the movement of the masticatory muscles (occlusal, temporal, internal and external pterygoid muscles), as the masticatory muscles all end at the mandible and are innervated by the motor branch of the trigeminal nerve, which moves the temporomandibular joint and participates in mastication, speech movement, and to a certain extent expression. If the masticatory muscles are damaged, in addition to the above mentioned motor disorders, facial symptoms such as facial deformation (e.g., deformed and oblique jaw, lateral facial hypertrophy) may also occur. After the diagnosis of secondary trigeminal neuralgia, if the patient requires puncture or surgical treatment, a more comprehensive systemic nutritional status examination, including heart, lung, liver and kidney functions, should be performed. Because dysfunction in any of these organs can affect the outcome of treatment, when there are problems with these organs, they should receive appropriate treatment and wait until their functions return to normal or are relatively stable before undergoing surgery. How to differentiate trigeminal neuralgia from other pain? Trigeminal neuralgia must be distinguished from other facial pain. Localized pathological changes in the sinuses, jaws, teeth, pharynx or skull base can cause severe pain. This facial pain is often constant and described as aching, throbbing, or burning, but rarely as discharge-like pain. The pain is not triggered by a non-injurious stimulus away from the painful area, and if a nerve branch is involved, a sensory deficit is produced. Physical examination and appropriate ancillary diagnoses usually suggest the presence of a focal lesion. However, there is no ancillary diagnosis available to determine the presence of trigeminal neuralgia. It is therefore necessary to distinguish trigeminal neuralgia from similar pain syndromes caused by other cranial nerves, which can be identified by detailed history taking and physical examination to determine the precise trigger point and pain site.