Q The pain starts even when cold wind touches my face or I feel the air conditioner breeze. I'm so afraid of winter—why does this happen?
A It is because the damaged trigeminal nerve has become extremely sensitive to temperature and mechanical stimuli. Cold wind, temperature changes, and direct contact can all touch the trigger zone and provoke a lightning-like attack.
Detailed Answer
In trigeminal neuralgia, a nerve with damaged myelin converts even normal temperature sensation signals into pain. When cold air or an air conditioner breeze stimulates the facial skin, that signal passes through the trigger zone and provokes an attack of lightning-like pain. The greater the temperature difference or the stronger the wind, the higher the likelihood of triggering.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
At Dongjedang, we view this as a mixed state of Wind-Cold (pung-han) and Fire-Heat (hwa-yeol) that heightens sensitivity to cold wind and temperature stimuli. We advise covering the face with a mask or scarf during outdoor activity to minimize direct exposure, and avoiding letting the air conditioner blow directly onto the face indoors. At the same time, we use prescriptions that cool the heat around the nerve and restore qi and blood circulation to reduce the frequency of attacks.
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