Introduction:

trigeminal neuralgia has been referred since ancient times as one of the most intense facial pains; its etiology is controversial and its prevalence rises along with life expectancy.

Objective:

to integrate criteria on the etiology of trigeminal neuralgia.

Methods:

documentary review through an automated search in the databases PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, Scielo, Medigraphic and Science Direct, using the Google Scholar search engine, during the period from March 2021 to the same month of 2022. Thirty-one articles related to the proposed objective were selected; 23 (74.2%) are updated.

Results:

the causal factors of trigeminal neuralgia (trauma, infectious diseases and compression by neighboring anatomical structures or tumors) promote an inflammatory process in the connective tissue that composes the nerve, the release of leukocyte products causes its destruction and the nervous tissue is exposed; action potentials are triggered that cause the painful symptoms typical of the disease.

Conclusions:

the development of an inflammatory process in the connective tissue constituent of the trigeminal nerve causes a decrease in the excitability threshold of the affected fibers and provokes pain in response to different stimuli.

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