Table 2. Suggested questions for a patient interview about the characteristics of pain during attacks.
TN: trigeminal neuralgia
| Question | Responses suggesting TN |
| Where do you feel the pain? | Pain may be in any part of the trigeminal distribution but is likely in V2 and/or V3 |
| Do you have pain on one or both sides? | Pain is typically unilateral and consistent on that side |
| Does anything like a touch or chewing food trigger pain? | Yes |
| Do you feel any pain inside your mouth? | This suggests a dental problem that must be ruled out; it may also occur in TN |
| How long does the pain last? | Trigeminal pain has abrupt onset and short paroxysms, from seconds to two minutes |
| Between bursts of pain, do you have any underlying pain? | Ambient pain may occur in TN between paroxysms in an attack but does not occur after the attack is over |
| How many bursts of pain do you have? (Patient may be encouraged to estimate) | 10 to even 50 bursts may occur |
| On a scale from 0 to 10, how severe would you say the pain is? | Pain is typically moderate to severe and is often very severe |
| How would you describe the pain? (If needed, prompt words might include the following: dull, sharp, “electric,” stabbing, deep, throbbing, mild, “pins and needles,” and so on) | Pain is often stabbing, sharp, or maybe electric |
| When you experience this attack, do your eyes water or does your nose run? | TN is not commonly associated with autonomic symptoms, and this suggests other types of headaches that must be ruled out. |
| Does anything lessen the pain? | TN does not usually respond to triggers, sleep, darkness, or other attempts to soothe the pain |
| Do you pace or feel restless during an attack? | This is more common for cluster headaches, which should be ruled out; it may occur in TN but is not common |
| Can you sense an attack coming on or does it come on suddenly? | Migraines are often sensed in advance, while TN occurs suddenly |
| Does the pain start out severe or does it build up slowly? | TN pain typically starts out at maximum intensity, while migraine and tension-type headaches can build slowly |