General practitioners (GPs) are often the first clinicians to encounter patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Given the gravity of the debilitating pain associated with TN, it is important for these clinicians to learn how to accurately diagnose and manage this illness. The objective of this article is to provide an up-to-date literature review regarding the presentation, classification, diagnosis, and the treatment of TN. This article also focuses on the long-term management of these patients under the care of GPs. GPs play an important role in the management of patients with TN by following the evidence-based management guidelines. The most important aspects of the management of TN are discussed in this review article.
Keywords: general psychiatry; headaches; neurology; pain management; primary care; tic douloureux; trigeminal neuralgia.