Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, known for his larger-than-life screen presence and relentless energy, recently made headlines — not for a blockbuster, but for his candid revelation about battling a rare and excruciating neurological condition. The actor revealed he had been suffering from trigeminal neuralgia, often referred to as the “suicide disease” due to its unbearable pain.
Revealing the Pain on the Chat Show
While appearing on the chat show Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle, alongside Aamir Khan, Salman Khan opened up about the serious health issues he endured as a result of this rare nerve disorder. He shared honestly, “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 Daily Struggle: Pain Every Few Minutes
Salman went on to describe how the intense facial pain made even the simplest daily tasks excruciating. “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).”
Despite taking strong painkillers, he said they offered no real relief, forcing him to live with constant pain.
A Misdiagnosed Condition
Initially, even doctors struggled to pinpoint the cause of his agony. “At first, it was assumed that something was wrong with my teeth,” Salman said. “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.”
Like many trigeminal neuralgia patients, Salman’s condition was misdiagnosed as a dental issue, a common problem due to overlapping symptoms.
The Road to Recovery: Gamma Knife Surgery
Speaking about his treatment, Salman Khan described a cutting-edge non-invasive procedure that finally brought him relief. “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…”
The Gamma Knife uses targeted radiation to treat affected areas of the brain without conventional surgery. While doctors had warned him he might experience only a 20–30% reduction in pain, Salman said he was fortunate — the pain completely disappeared post-surgery.
Raising Awareness Through Personal Struggles
Salman Khan’s revelation not only highlights the debilitating nature of trigeminal neuralgia but also shines a spotlight on the importance of accurate diagnosis, persistent treatment, and mental resilience.
His openness serves as an inspiration for many suffering in silence and offers hope that with the right medical support, even the most unbearable pain can be managed or overcome.
