Most common cause of trigeminal neuralgia ?

Ans. is 'c' i.e., Vascular compression Trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloureux) is characterized by intermittent, shooting pain in the face. It is due to involvement of trigeminal nerve. 95% of causes of trigeminal neuralgia are due to pressure on trigeminal nerve close to where it enters the brain stem, past the Gasserian ganglion. In most cases, this pressure seems to be caused by an aery or vein compressing trigeminal nerve. Other causes are tumor, cysts, AV malformation and multiple sclerosis. Most commonly used drugs for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia are carbamazepine, gabapentin and valproate.