Prevalence of Trigeminal Neuralgia in Al-Quseir City (Red Sea Governorate), Egypt

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia or tic douloureux is sometimes described as the most excruciating pain known to humanity.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia among the population of Al-Quseir city.

Methods: This study forms a part of door to door survey of major neurological disorders in Al-Quseir city, Red sea governorate, Egypt. The total population (33,285 persons) were screened through door to door (every door) by three specialists of Neurology and fifteen female social workers. Then, positive cases were subjected to clinical and neurological examination by other three staff members of neurology. Cases were identified as suffering from trigeminal neuralgia according to the diagnostic criteria of the International headache society (IHS).

Results: We identified 4 female patients out of 13,541 persons (aged 30 years and more) suffering from trigeminal neuralgia with age specific prevalence rate of 29.5/100,000. Co-morbid depression and hypertension were observed among the affected persons.