Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has revealed his years-long struggle with trigeminal neuralgia, a rare but excruciating nerve condition often referred to as the “suicidal disease” due to the unbearable pain it causes. Speaking on Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle, Salman opened up about the severity of his ordeal and the surgery that finally gave him relief.
Years of Unbearable Pain
Salman shared that he endured the condition for nearly seven and a half years, during which even simple tasks like eating became an ordeal.
“When I had trigeminal neuralgia, that pain used to be… You would not want your biggest enemy to have that pain. And I had it for seven and a half years.”
The pain struck every four to five minutes, making daily life extremely difficult. He recalled,
“It used to take me an hour and a half to have my breakfast and I used to go straight to dinner. For an omelette, it used to take me… because I couldn’t… so I used to force myself (to eat). Even painkillers wouldn’t help.”
The Surgery That Changed Everything
Eventually, Salman underwent an eight-hour gamma knife surgery, a non-invasive neurosurgical procedure where screws are fixed on the patient’s head to deliver targeted radiation. Initially, doctors told him that his pain might reduce by only 20–30 percent. To his relief, however, the procedure eliminated the pain completely.
“They fix screws on your face for 7–8 hours, make you lie down, and with the gamma knife they do the procedure. After surgery, they told me pain may go down by 20–30 percent, but luckily, it went away completely.”
Raising Awareness
Salman described trigeminal neuralgia as one of the most painful conditions known to medicine.
“It is the worst pain. It is called the suicidal disease. The highest number of suicides happen because of this condition.”
He emphasized the importance of spreading awareness, noting that many people suffer silently without knowing that the condition is treatable today.
Living With an AVM
While the trigeminal neuralgia is gone, Salman revealed that he still manages an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a vascular condition.
“Now the aneurysm is there. An arteriovenous malformation is present. But you have got to live with it. There are a lot of people living with bypass surgeries, heart conditions, and so many other things.”
Despite these health challenges, Salman continues to remain active in films. He is currently shooting for his upcoming project, Battle of Galwan, showing his resilience and determination to keep going despite personal battles.
Discover more empowering stories and insightful content like this on YOUxTalks, your go-to destination for inspiration and knowledge.
Follow YOUxTalks on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youxtalks
