A 46-year-old man’s persistent facial pain recently led to the discovery of a rare condition famously battled by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. The case, shared by Dr. Sudhir Kumar, MD, senior neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, highlights the importance of thorough diagnostic evaluation in patients with facial neuralgia.
The patient experienced severe, episodic pain on the right side of his face for over a year, specifically affecting the V2 dermatome region. Each episode lasted between 30 to 60 seconds but occurred multiple times daily, often triggered by routine activities such as brushing teeth, chewing food, or shaving. Initial treatment with carbamazepine provided only partial relief, prompting further investigation.
Diagnosis and MRI Findings
Dr. Kumar confirmed the condition as trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic neuropathic disorder that causes sudden, sharp, electric shock-like pain in the face. However, MRI scans revealed an underlying cause: a schwannoma in the right cerebellopontine angle, likely affecting the trigeminal or vestibular nerve. This identified the case as secondary trigeminal neuralgia, a less common form where another medical condition, such as a tumor or vascular malformation, compresses the trigeminal nerve.
Dr. Kumar emphasized that while trigeminal neuralgia itself can often be diagnosed clinically, MRI imaging with contrast and trigeminal nerve protocol is crucial, particularly for younger patients or atypical presentations.
Understanding Trigeminal Neuralgia
According to medical sources like Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a long-term condition that can make simple daily tasks extremely painful. Activities like eating, talking, shaving, or even exposure to a light breeze can trigger sudden, severe facial pain. While TN is not life-threatening, it can significantly affect quality of life. Most cases occur in people over 50, and females are slightly more predisposed, though secondary TN can appear in younger individuals.
Salman Khan’s Experience
Bollywood star Salman Khan has openly discussed his own battle with trigeminal neuralgia, recalling excruciating pain that disrupted daily life and even basic activities like eating. He shared that the condition persisted for over seven years, with episodes occurring every few minutes. Initially mistaken for dental pain, Khan’s diagnosis highlighted the complexity of identifying TN.
The patient experienced severe, episodic pain on the right side of his face for over a year, specifically affecting the V2 dermatome region. Each episode lasted between 30 to 60 seconds but occurred multiple times daily, often triggered by routine activities such as brushing teeth, chewing food, or shaving. Initial treatment with carbamazepine provided only partial relief, prompting further investigation.
Diagnosis and MRI Findings
Dr. Kumar confirmed the condition as trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic neuropathic disorder that causes sudden, sharp, electric shock-like pain in the face. However, MRI scans revealed an underlying cause: a schwannoma in the right cerebellopontine angle, likely affecting the trigeminal or vestibular nerve. This identified the case as secondary trigeminal neuralgia, a less common form where another medical condition, such as a tumor or vascular malformation, compresses the trigeminal nerve.
Dr. Kumar emphasized that while trigeminal neuralgia itself can often be diagnosed clinically, MRI imaging with contrast and trigeminal nerve protocol is crucial, particularly for younger patients or atypical presentations.
(For doctors)
— Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (@hyderabaddoctor) October 14, 2025
Patient details
▶️46 year old man presented with right sided facial pain in V2 dermatome for the past one year.
▶️Pain is episodic and lasts for 30-60 seconds, occurrig several times daily.
▶️Pain is triggered by brushing teeth, shaving and chewing food from the… pic.twitter.com/BGtmyUkUgn
Understanding Trigeminal Neuralgia
According to medical sources like Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a long-term condition that can make simple daily tasks extremely painful. Activities like eating, talking, shaving, or even exposure to a light breeze can trigger sudden, severe facial pain. While TN is not life-threatening, it can significantly affect quality of life. Most cases occur in people over 50, and females are slightly more predisposed, though secondary TN can appear in younger individuals.
Salman Khan’s Experience
Bollywood star Salman Khan has openly discussed his own battle with trigeminal neuralgia, recalling excruciating pain that disrupted daily life and even basic activities like eating. He shared that the condition persisted for over seven years, with episodes occurring every few minutes. Initially mistaken for dental pain, Khan’s diagnosis highlighted the complexity of identifying TN.
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