On a weeklong business trip to Japan in fall 2019, I felt a shock of pain in my face, as if someone was stabbing me. The moments were fleeting — as quickly as they started, they stopped. At first, I wondered if a long flight from New York City to Tokyo contributed to the sensation.
But as my time in Japan continued, the bouts of pain increased in frequency and I began wondering if I was experiencing seizures or a more serious health issue. Even though I worried about the 13-hour-long return flight, I was hesitant to seek medical care so far from home. Amazingly, my flight was pain-free.
Still, I knew I needed to see a doctor, and the day after returning home, I went to an emergency room. I explained I was having shocking pains on the right side of my face, and they did a CT scan that did not show anything wrong. Doctors thought perhaps I was having trouble with my teeth because a dental issue could cause pain around the eyes, nose and mouth.
Even though my teeth weren’t bothering me, I followed up with my dentist anyway. At that examination, my dentist noticed that my teeth weren’t causing troubles. But she had an idea of what could be amiss.
She asked if I had ever heard of trigeminal neuralgia, and recommended I see a neurologist. I had never heard of it, but she explained that it causes , usually on one side, that can occur intermittently or constantly. For a few weeks, I suffered in agony as I waited for my neurologist appointment.
While the pain started off infrequ.
