A 35-year-old woman of Maltese descent will be running a 42 kilometre marathon in Detroit to raise awareness about a rare and painful diseases she suffers from – trigeminal neuralgia.
Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain. When the nerve malfunctions, pain messages are sent at inappropriate times and the pains can be of great severity.
Therefore, mild stimulation to the face, such as brushing your teeth, drinking, talking or being exposed to the wind, causes agonizing pain. The pain is often described as being like a strong electric shock through the face or intense sensations of stabbing or burning.
But the excruciating pain has not stopped 35-year-old Beth Markesino from participating in more than 27 races in a span of three years. She even ran two half marathons while undergoing radiation treatment to relieve the pain. In October, Ms Markesino will be participating in the Detroit Free Press/Talmer Bank Marathon to raise awareness of the disease.
The marathon has been held in October of each year since 1978. Runners from all over the world travel to participate for different reasons – some for charity, some to qualify for the Boston marathon, to honour a loved one or to celebrating overcoming trauma. Last year, it was Michael Anderson from the United States that crossed the finishing line first.
Ms Markesino first started running to lose weight after giving birth to her child, but she soon discovered the sport gave her much more than that.
“Running is the thing that totally clears my mind. When I run, I’m free. It’s a love that I wish for everybody to feel. I feel like when I run, I’m a better mother. I’m a better wife. It just gives me so much clarity in all aspects of life,” she said in comments to C&G Sports.
The runner lives in North Carolina, in the United States but has many relatives in Malta, given her grandmother is Maltese. Before the birth of her daughter, Sunday Rose, her husband and herself visited the island.
Trigeminal neuralgia
· Trigeminal neuralgia is thought to be caused by compression of the trigeminal nerve, also known as the fifth cranial nerve – the largest nerve inside the skull. The exact cause is not known and some claim it is caused by an underlying condition that affects this nerve.
· The trigeminal nerve has three branches conducting sensations from face as well as the oral cavity to the brain. It is one of twelve pairs of nerves attached to the brain.
· Most people experiencing the symptoms often visit their dentist initially, given the pain is often felt in the jaw, teeth or gums.
· An MRI can sometimes detect whether a blood vessel in your head is compressing one of the trigeminal nerves, which is one of the main causes of trigeminal neuralgia.
· The incidence of new cases is approximately 12 per 100,000 people per year; the disorder being more common in women than in men.
· The condition is both remitting and progressive. It can persist for weeks, months and even years. The remission may grow shorter, but may also worsen.