Postherpetic Neuralgia and Trigeminal Neuralgia

Box 1

Diagnostic criteria for classical trigeminal neuralgia. Adapted from [18, 22–24, 26, 27].

(i) Unilateral, recurrent brief paroxysmal attacks of pain confined to one or more divisions of the trigeminal nerve

(ii) The pain is invariably described as intense, sharp, stabbing, or electric shock-like

(iii) At least three attacks which have been initiated by triggers

(iv) Successive attacks in the same persons are stereotypical

(v) No clinical evidence of neurological abnormalities

(vi) Either idiopathic or induced by vascular compression: cannot be attributed to any other disorder