Trigeminal Neuralgia

[Halfpass]

Since Feb this year a horse at our yard has been off work due various issues with him head shaking and tilting. He has just spent over 2 weeks at the RVC and they have diagnosed the above.

There is no pattern and some days he is not too bad but others he is awful. They put a mask on him at the RVC to reduce the airflow through his nostrils and this didn't help. The only thing that made a difference was the nerve block.
They have said that there is nothing they can do other than suggest a year off and possibley moving yards. Has anyone got any experiences of this? I would like to pass any information onto her that I can.

She is up for trying any alternative therapies and any other suggestions for helping him would be great.

 

[merlinsquest]

No horsey experiences, but I personally suffered with this for about two years when I was in my teens

It is soooo painful and feels like you are being stabbed upwards through the face and in my case into one eye.

I had no treatment other than painkillers, which didnt seem to work, but it did go with time.

Not sure what caused it but if I knocked my head... like you do when you get into a car for example..... I would think that my head was going to come off

Poor horse

 

[Halfpass]

Sorry to hear that you have suffered. It sounds awful. Are you now recovered though? It could posibly be something that will get better with rest then?

 

[merlinsquest]

Yep... havent had it for years

I am now 42 though so have had a long time to get over it. I cant remember how long it went on for, but it must have been a fair time as my parents were not the ..... get her to the doctor type!!!!

I would think that it would improve with time.... but not sure if it would be caused by maybe an injury, or virus etc.

 

[Booboos]

No horsey experience either, but my mum has suffered with this for a couple of decades now. At the beginning the pain was horrific, she described it as bordering on suicidal. They put her on very strong pain killers but they lowered her blood cell count so she had to come off them in a hurry and it was worse than before. In desperation she tried acupuncture, she never expected it to work but it did. She now has low grade pain if it's windy, but that's about it!

For humans I know that can permenantly deaded the nerves which leads to partial face paralysis, might that help with this horse (not sure you would still be able to ride it though)?

 

[christi]

I suffered from Trigeminal Neuralgia it is the most horrific sharp severe pain on the side of face and cheek area going up to the head as above poster said i also felt suicidal with the pain i used to scream and scream with the pain ,painkillers didnt work. as its nerve damage of the 5th cranial nerve in the mandibular the doctors gave me amitriptyline and after the 2nd week of taking them the pain got less ...
God help Any horse who suffers from it is all i can say .. and i would not let it be ridden at all .. and as for the vet saying change yard that will not make any difference . Good Luck

 

[mle22]

Just really to second what others have said, I suffered from it and it is the most unbearable pain. It would come and go but sometimes just a draft of air touching my face could set it off.Painkillers didn't really help at all and at one stage the hospital suggested cutting the nerves which could result in facial paralysis but I was so desperate I was considering it. The pain does make you feel suicidal. Friend suggested acupuncture and after one session it was bearable and after two it had gone completely. Touch wood it has never come back. I think mine was caused by structural issues as a result of an old injury. So - try acupuncture - asap cause as above poster said - poor horse. I would imagine it would have to be someone who really knew their acupuncture for horses. Good luck.

 

[Rueysmum]

Have they tried smothering his face with Vaseline or similar? If his problem is set off by midges or wind etc. then this might soothe it a bit.

My gelding had horrendous structural throat problems a couple of years ago which did eventually resolve, but he started headshaking once his throat was better.

I can only assume that the structural problems he had caused nerve damage. He still headshakes intermittently with wind and midges but smothering his muzzle with Vaseline definitely helps.

Poor horse. It sounds like a nightmare, especially as he can't tell anyone how much pain he is in.

 

[fatpiggy]

You could try contacting Derek Knottenbelt at Leahurst, University of Liverpool. I believe headshaking is one of his (many!!) specialities.