Salman Khan opens up about 'suicidal disease' trigeminal neuralgia: 'You would not want your enemy to have this pain'

Salman Khan revealed on Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle his seven-year struggle with trigeminal neuralgia, detailing excruciating pain, misdiagnosis, treatment, and his journey to recovery.

Salman Khan on the sets of Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle

While appearing on the chat show Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle with Aamir Khan, Salman Khan recently disclosed the serious health issues he endured as a result of a rare nerve ailment.

Salman Khan diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia after years of pain

The superstar discussed his diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia, which he said had left him in excruciating facial agony for more than seven years. In his detailed account, he revealed the intense pain he felt on a daily basis during the ordeal.

He revealed, "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." Salman reminisced about the agony he endured during his period, which lasted for seven and a half years.

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Routine tasks became a challenge due to pain

He described how the pain made even routine tasks difficult. Salman said, "And this used to happen every four or five minutes. It used to take me an hour and a half to have 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),” he said. He added that even strong painkillers offered no relief."

Initially, doctors thought the pain was dental in origin. Salman said, "At first, it was assumed that something was wrong with my teeth, but when I realised that the pain interval increased when I was drinking, doctors came to the conclusion that it was related to my nerves."

First onset of pain on the sets of Partner

He first felt the excruciating pain on the set of Partner in 2007, when co-star Lara Dutta brushed a lock of hair off his face, according to the actor. He chuckled as he recalled, "I said, 'Wow, Lara, electrifying!' That is when it started."

Salman went on to say, "It is the worst pain," describing how bad his situation was, while adding, "It is called 'the suicidal disease'. The maximum number of suicides happen because of this disease.” Aamir Khan chimed in, “Because you can’t handle the pain."

Recovery and treatment

The superstar went into detail about his recovery and treatment alternatives as well. He stated, "Now it is very easily treatable. There is a gamma knife surgery. They fix screws on your face for 7–8 hours. They make you lie down and with the gamma knife…"

He recalled that they made him lie down and use the gamma knife. He counted himself lucky that the discomfort went away entirely, since the doctors had anticipated only a 20-30% reduction.

Living with ongoing health issues

Salman reflected on his present health and said, "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."

Salman finished by telling his story to bring attention to trigeminal neuralgia, a painful but mostly unknown ailment.

FAQs:

Q: What disease did Salman Khan reveal he had?

A: Salman Khan revealed that he had trigeminal neuralgia, a rare nerve disorder that causes severe facial pain.

Q: How long did Salman Khan suffer from trigeminal neuralgia?

A: Salman Khan suffered from trigeminal neuralgia for over seven and a half years before undergoing surgery.

Q: Why is trigeminal neuralgia called the ‘suicidal disease’?

A: It is called the ‘suicidal disease’ because the pain can be extremely intense and unbearable, leading to a higher risk of suicide for sufferers.

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