. 2025 Jun 3;2025:5535907. doi: 10.1155/da/5535907

Table 2.

Diagnostic criteria of TN in the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD).

ICHD-3 trigeminal neuralgia diagnostic criteria
Recurrent paroxysms of unilateral facial pain in the distribution(s) of one or more divisions of the trigeminal nerve, with no radiation beyond^a, and fulfilling criteria B and C A. Pain has all of the following characteristics: 1. Lasting from a fraction of a second to 2 min^b 2. Severe intensity^c 3. Electric shock-like, shooting, stabbing, or sharp in quality B. Precipitated by innocuous stimuli within the affected trigeminal distribution^d C. Not better accounted for by another ICHD-3 diagnosis

ICHD-3 trigeminal neuralgia diagnostic criteria

Recurrent paroxysms of unilateral facial pain in the distribution(s) of one or more divisions of the trigeminal nerve, with no radiation beyond^a, and fulfilling criteria B and C
A. Pain has all of the following characteristics:
1. Lasting from a fraction of a second to 2 min^b
2. Severe intensity^c
3. Electric shock-like, shooting, stabbing, or sharp in quality
B. Precipitated by innocuous stimuli within the affected trigeminal distribution^d
C. Not better accounted for by another ICHD-3 diagnosis

^aIn a few patients, pain may radiate to another division, but it remains within the trigeminal dermatomes.

^bDuration can change over time, with paroxysms becoming more prolonged. A minority of patients will report attacks predominantly lasting for >2 min.

^cPain may become more severe over time.

^dSome attacks may be, or appear to be, spontaneous, but there must be a history or finding of pain provoked by innocuous stimuli to meet this criterion. Ideally, the examining clinician should attempt to confirm the history by replicating the triggering phenomenon. However, this may not always be possible because of the patient's refusal, awkward anatomical location of the trigger, and/or other factors.