Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a debilitating, chronic syndrome that causes sudden, severe, electric shock-like pain in the face. While TN isn’t life-threatening, it can severely alter quality of life and disrupt everyday activities, such as talking, chewing and smiling by triggering intense bouts of pain. The condition occurs when a blood vessel puts pressure on the trigeminal nerve near the brainstem, which provides sensation to the face and head.

Several types of treatments, surgically and through medications, can help manage symptoms, but it is typically a long-term condition. Many patients do not see results with medications alone and require some sort of surgical treatment.

University Hospitals is the first health system in the world to offer a new type of minimally-invasive treatment with the OneRF® Trigeminal Nerve Ablation System. The two initial patients, successfully treated this month, reported pain relief from the procedure without complications.

Democratic congressmembers are significantly more likely to post on social media following a mass shooting event in the US compared to Republican congressmembers, according to a study published December 17, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS Global Public Health by Dmytro Bukhanevych from New York University, United States, and colleagues.