根据对美国和英国人群的研究,普遍认为,三叉神经痛的发病率为 4-13 例/100,000 人。[4]Katusic S, Beard CM, Bergstralth E, et al. Incidence and clinical features of trigeminal neuralgia, Rochester, Minnesota, 1945-1984. Ann Neurol. 1990;27:89-95.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2301931?tool=bestpractice.com[5]MacDonald BK, Cockerell OC, Sander JW, et al. The incidence and lifetime prevalence of neurological disorders in a prospective community-based study in the UK. Brain. 2000;123:665-676.http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/123/4/665http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10733998?tool=bestpractice.com这意味着,美国每年确诊 12,000-40,000 例新发病例。在所有年龄段中,女性发病率稍高,并且发病率似乎随年龄增长而增加,据报道,老年(>75 岁)群体的发病率高达 74-88 例/100,000 人。[6]Hall GC, Carroll D, Parry D, et al. Epidemiology and treatment of neuropathic pain: the UK primary care perspective. Pain. 2006;122:156-162.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16545908?tool=bestpractice.com