Most people have probably never heard of trigeminal neuralgia, and honestly, before I experienced it myself, I didn’t fully understand what living with nerve pain could be like either.

I’ve been dealing with TN for over 13 years now. I was officially diagnosed in 2017, after years of trying to figure out what was causing the pain in my face and jaw. At first, I thought it was a dental problem, but my dentist couldn’t find anything wrong.

If you’ve never heard of trigeminal neuralgia, it’s a nerve condition that can cause sudden, severe, electric-shock-like pain in the face. It can be triggered by things that most people wouldn’t think twice about, like brushing your teeth, talking, chewing, or even a light breeze touching your face.

Imagine being afraid of something as simple as a gust of wind because you don’t know whether it’s going to set off another jolt of pain. Or trying to get through a regular day while constantly being aware of how your face feels, wondering when the next flare might happen.

That’s a part of living with TN that can be hard to explain to someone who hasn’t experienced it.

For years, I tried to manage it without relying on prescription pain medication because I had young children to care for and couldn’t afford to feel groggy all the time. Eventually, I found relief through acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, and I was fortunate enough to have several years where the pain wasn’t a constant part of my life.

I honestly thought I had finally put that chapter behind me.

But recently, the pain has started coming back, and I won’t lie. It’s been hard emotionally. When you’ve spent years finding your way back to feeling like yourself, having that pain return can bring up a lot of feelings. It’s not just the physical pain. There’s also the worry, the frustration, and the fear of not knowing how things will go this time.

Because TN is often an invisible condition, people may not realize how much someone is struggling. You can look completely fine on the outside while trying to get through something that takes so much out of you.

I’m sharing this because I think more people need to know about trigeminal neuralgia. If you’ve never heard of it, I hope this helps you understand a little more, and if you know someone living with it, please know that even if they look fine, that doesn’t mean they’re not struggling.

To anyone else living with TN, whether you’ve just been diagnosed, are in the middle of a flare, or have finally found some relief after years of pain, I see you. And if you’re reading this and have never heard of TN before, please help spread awareness.

Sometimes, simply understanding what someone is going through can make them feel a little less alone.