Literally hundreds of natural treatments are recommended for trigeminal neuralgia, from herbal supplements to meditation to visualization. Many claim they can “cure” trigeminal neuralgia, but like many conditions, there is no true cure for trigeminal neuralgia, only intervention and management. The most popular of the natural treatments that claim to offer relief are covered here.
Dietary Modifications
It’s been suggested in some circles that increasing your intake of certain vitamins, minerals and compounds can alleviate trigeminal neuralgia symptoms. Many of the recommended substances can help support a stronger immune system and lower inflammatory responses, but will not bring about enough relief to be significant. Eating certain foods and avoiding others (unless recommended by your medical team) also has little effect on TGN symptoms.
Herbal Supplements
In general, herbal supplements are not capable of bringing about medically-significant changes, and trigeminal neuralgia is no exception. It’s important to err on the side of caution when using herbs because they can interfere with other medications you are taking. As with vitamin and mineral supplements, certain herbs can help support overall health, but no scientific evidence supports their use as an effective trigeminal neuralgia natural treatment.
Hot or Cold Compresses
It might seem as though applying heat or cold to your face would help bring pain relief. This can be effective for toothaches or TMJ, so it stands to reason it would be good for TGN too. Unfortunately, it’s quite the contrary. Often, applying heat or cold (or even touching your face) can trigger trigeminal neuralgia.
Meditation and Yoga
Another common suggestion for trigeminal neuralgia natural treatment is to practice meditation or yoga. Both are excellent for lowering blood pressure, de-stressing and calming the mind, but they don’t provide any significant or long-term relief for trigeminal neuralgia.