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When Every Touch on Your Face Triggers Pain, You Deserve Real Answers
You flinch at a breeze. You eat carefully, speak carefully, wash your face carefully. The electric shock comes anyway. And no one has figured out why.
You flinch at a breeze. You eat carefully, speak carefully, wash your face carefully. The electric shock comes anyway. And no one has figured out why.
We assess beyond the pain site.
We look at your jaw, neck, and nervous system as a whole, not just where it hurts on the surface.
We treat the nerve and the muscle.
Neuromodulation, shockwave, and hands-on therapy are combined to calm the system, not just block the signal.
We build durability, not dependency.
After acute pain settles, we shift focus to reducing relapse risk with progressive aftercare and lifestyle guidance.
60-minute one-on-one assessment + treatment plan.
No pressure, no contracts.
If any of this sounds familiar, you're in the right place.
Sudden electric shock or stabbing pain in your cheek, jaw, or around your eye
Eating, talking, or brushing your teeth triggers an attack
You’ve been told it might be a tooth problem, a jaw issue, or a mystery
Medication helps a little, but the side effects make daily life hard too
You’ve seen multiple clinicians, had tests, and still don’t have a clear plan
You want a non-invasive approach before considering surgery or nerve blocks
The Real Problem
Explore 4 slides on Trigeminal Neuralgia
For most people with complex facial pain, several of these are happening at once. That is why we assess the jaw, neck, nervous system, and overall pain history together, not just where the shock hits on your face.
OUR APPROACH
Initial Visit
Full evaluation of your trigeminal pain pattern, trigger zones, and attack history
Jaw and neck muscle assessment to identify myofascial contributors or overlap with TMJ dysfunction
Review of any existing imaging or diagnostic reports, and a clear referral plan if further testing is needed
First 4 to 10 Weeks
NESA neuromodulation to calm nerve hyperexcitability and improve autonomic regulation (typically 8 to 10 sessions)
Focused shockwave therapy targeting masseter, temporalis, and cervical muscles to reduce mechanical load around the trigeminal distribution (typically 3 to 5 sessions)
Hands-on physiotherapy and massage therapy to address jaw tension, cervical mechanics, and associated soft tissue contributors
Make eating, talking, and face washing tolerable, fast.
10+ Weeks and Beyond
Progressive jaw and neck muscle retraining to reduce tension patterns that contribute to flare-ups
Sleep and stress load guidance, two factors that can influence symptom recurrence over time
Ongoing maintenance support, check-ins, and a clear plan for what to do if symptoms return
What To Expect
Every case is different, but research and our clinical experience consistently show:
Meaningful reductions in pain attack intensity within the first few weeks. Meaningful reductions in pain attack intensity in some patients can begin within the first few weeks of neuromodulation, with continued improvement over 1 to 3 months of consistent treatment.
Improved tolerance to daily triggers such as eating, speaking, and face washing. Improved tolerance to daily triggers such as eating, speaking, and face washing, with reduced avoidance behaviors as nerve and muscle irritability decreases.
For some people, a sustained period of low or no pain without surgical intervention. For some people, a sustained period of low or no pain without surgical intervention. Research in electrical nerve stimulation shows durability out to 3 years in selected patients, though recurrence is possible long-term.
Our promise: we will tell you honestly at the assessment if we don’t believe you’re a good candidate for this approach.
EVIDENCE
Non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation has been shown to produce large reductions in facial pain intensity in clinical trials and meta-analyses in trigeminal neuralgia patients, with a proportion of patients reporting substantial improvement or becoming pain-free over the treatment period.
A small randomized controlled trial comparing electrical nerve stimulation to carbamazepine (a standard medication) found sustained pain relief in the stimulation group through three years of follow-up, suggesting that non-invasive nerve modulation can hold results over time in selected patients.
Radial shockwave therapy combined with physiotherapy has been shown to significantly reduce jaw pain and improve mouth opening in patients with temporomandibular (jaw) disorders, which frequently coexist with or mimic trigeminal-distribution facial pain.
Manual therapy combined with therapeutic exercise has been shown to produce earlier and larger pain reductions than exercise alone in jaw pain populations, with meaningful improvements measurable within the first week of treatment in some study arms.
NESA superficial neuromodulation has demonstrated improvements in autonomic nervous system regulation and sleep quality in clinical studies, supporting its use as an adjunct approach in complex chronic pain presentations where nervous system sensitization plays a role.
Outcomes are group averages from clinical trials; individual results vary.
Here are answers to some of the most common questions about Trigeminal Neuralgia.
6 results found
Published clinical trials and meta-analyses show that non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation can reduce pain attack intensity in trigeminal neuralgia, with some patients reporting significant improvement or reaching pain-free status during treatment. NESA microcurrent neuromodulation is an emerging approach with early evidence in nervous system regulation and pain threshold improvement in other chronic pain populations. We review which approach best fits your case during your initial assessment.
Masseter and temporalis muscle tightness, TMJ dysfunction, and cervical muscle tension do not cause classical trigeminal neuralgia on their own, but they can add load to an already irritated trigeminal system and worsen functional symptoms. Sleep disruption and chronic stress can also lower pain thresholds, making attacks feel more frequent or intense. Identifying and addressing these contributors is a core part of what we do. We map this out in your first visit.
For neuromodulation, clinical estimates in our practice typically involve around 10 NESA sessions, with early signs of improvement possible as nerve reactivity begins to settle. For shockwave therapy targeting jaw and neck muscles, around 3 to 5 sessions are typically used as part of the program. Published electrical stimulation research in TN uses protocols ranging from 20 to 90 days. We will give you a realistic session estimate for your specific case at the assessment.
Recurrence can happen because the underlying driver, whether nerve compression, a structural issue, or persistent jaw and neck tension, has not been fully resolved. Research in TENS shows that even when patients achieve pain-free status, recurrence is possible over longer time horizons (up to 5 years). Addressing sleep, stress, and muscle tension patterns that keep loading the trigeminal system, alongside the nerve modulation work, is how we try to reduce that risk. We review your specific relapse pattern at your first visit.
Yes, clinical guidelines strongly recommend MRI in early trigeminal neuralgia workup. Symptoms alone cannot rule out secondary causes such as MS or a structural lesion, and knowing what is driving the pain matters before any treatment plan is made. If you have not yet had imaging, we will advise you at the assessment and can coordinate with your physician for the appropriate referral.
Medication resistance is one of the most common reasons people come to us. Non-invasive electrical stimulation has been studied specifically in patients seeking an alternative to or adjunct for carbamazepine, with published research showing meaningful pain reductions in some of these cases. If medication has helped only partially, or if side effects are the limiting factor, a combined neuromodulation and muscle-focused approach may offer a different path. We review your full history and give you an honest read on whether our approach is likely to help.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Stop collecting partial answers. Get a full assessment that looks at the nerve, the jaw, the neck, and the nervous system, and a clear plan before you commit to anything.
Initial Trigeminal Neuralgia Assessment — Edmonton
60-minute one-on-one session. Here’s what’s included:
Full evaluation of your facial pain pattern, jaw mechanics, and neck and cervical contributors
Identify which pain drivers are most relevant to your specific case
Review of any existing imaging, diagnosis history, and medications tried
Clear written treatment plan with transparent pricing before you commit
No referral needed. No obligation to continue beyond the first visit.
No pressure, no contracts.
We will tell you honestly at the assessment if we don't believe you're a good candidate for this approach. If your condition needs something different, we'll refer you directly.
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