I've had sporadic TN for 20 years or so. It pops in about every 3 to 5 years and stays for about a month. Left side only... affecting mostly the area of my face from the left of my cheek just below my nose, to down below the middle of my lips... never protruding into the right side of my face. And when it arrives, I don't get the constant jolts throughout the day, as some of you do... they only happen if anything touches my face, like my hands / fingers, splashing water, brushing my teeth, the wind hits the area, facial / lip movements or expressions, eating, gum chewing, drinking fluids, etc. Know it sounds weird, but I feel blessed that I have such a mild case of this monster. Can only imagine what others that have the jolts all day long must go through... so sorry for your condition.

Through the years, I've learned that some of my triggers are: opening my mouth wide... like when eating a large apple; biting any food that requires a lot of force (harder foods); and washing face when I FIRST get up out of bed. But if I eat breakfast FIRST, washing my face doesn't affect it.

The personnel manager at a previous job I had 20+ years ago had the surgery, but it only lasted a month or two. Don't know what progress has been made in the interim years. Also sorry to report I haven't heard of any great breakthroughs in the press since.

Hoping and wishing everyone here soon finds their solution for TN, or a workaround, or an effective / safe treatment. All the best!

/LarryG