#POV
#POV You’re The Doctor (Neurology): Season 4, Episode 5
Created with Tyler Beauchamp, medical student & author
#doctor #psychiatry #neurology #medicine #healthcare #medschool #premed #medstudent #jakegoodman
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My content is for educational and marketing purposes and should not be used in place of therapy or treatment
Answer: B – Carbamazepine
The patient is suffering from Trigeminal Neuralgia, a painful condition involving irritation/compression of the trigeminal nerve. The pain tends to be sharp and burning, unilateral, and short-lived, and it can be triggered by many actions (eating/chewing, brushing teeth, deeper facial massage)[1].
Anticonvulsants like carbamazepine have been proven for long-term management. A soft diet and NSAID would be helpful for TMJ dysfunction, however the pain would be more constant with other signs like headaches or difficulty opening their jaw (Answer A).
Antivirals like acyclovir would be helpful in managing Shingles, which can produce more pain with touching the face and would most likely have presented with a rash.
References:
1. Joanna Baptist, Ajay Nayak, Ravikiran Ongole. Orofacial Pain. In: Ravikiran Ongole, Praveen B N, eds.Textbook of Oral Medicine, Oral Diagnosis and Oral Radiology E-Book. 3rd, ed. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2021.