Trigeminal Neuralgia is characterized by which symptom?

• A. Chronic dull ache in the jaw
• B. Sudden, intense lightning-like pain due to inflammation of the fifth cranial nerve
• C. Painful swelling of the lacrimal gland
• D. Generalized facial numbness without pain

Answer: (B)

Trigeminal neuralgia shows up as sudden, unilateral, intense, shock-like or lightning-like facial pain in the area supplied by the trigeminal nerve. These episodes are brief—lasting seconds to a couple of minutes—and can be triggered by everyday actions like touching the face, chewing, or talking. There’s usually little to no pain between attacks, and there isn’t a constant dull ache or widespread numbness.

That makes the description of sudden, intense lightning-like pain along the facial distribution the best fit. The other options describe different problems: a chronic dull jaw ache points to dental or TMJ issues; painful lacrimal gland swelling suggests lacrimal/eye-related inflammation; and generalized facial numbness without pain implies a sensory loss without the paroxysmal pain pattern.