Bioresonance hypothesis: a new mechanism on the pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is an uncommon disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of lancinating pain in the trigeminal nerve distribution. To date, the precise mechanism for TN remains unclear. Among a variety of causes of TN, the microvascular compression (MVC) hypothesis is the most popular one, but controversies still focus on the origin and pathogenesis of the disorder. A number of clinical phenomena still cannot be well explained. We propose a new hypothesis on the pathogenesis of TN - bioresonance. The bioresonance hypothesis states that when the vibration frequency of a structure surrounding the trigeminal nerve becomes close to its natural frequency, the resonance of the trigeminal nerve occurs. The bioresonance can damage trigeminal nerve fibers and lead to the abnormal transmission of the impulse, which may finally result in facial pain. Under the guidance of the bioresonance hypothesis, we hope to explore more non-invasive methods to treat or even cure TN. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.