Salman Khan has opened up about his seven-and-a-half-year struggle with trigeminal neuralgia—dubbed the “suicide disease” because of the excruciating facial pain it causes.
In a candid appearance on the Prime Video chat show Two Much with Kajol, Twinkle Khanna, and Aamir Khan, he revealed how this condition nearly broke his everyday life.
The actor said the first signs of pain emerged while filming Partner in 2007—when Lara Dutta brushed a strand of hair across his face. He joked in that moment, “Wow Lara, you’re electrifying!”, unaware it was the beginning of a long ordeal. Initially, doctors assumed his troubles were dental, but later confirmed it was nerve-related.
Salman explained that the pain struck every 4-5 minutes, often suddenly—even while just speaking. He recalled that a simple breakfast could take him an hour and a half. He’d force himself to eat an omelette despite the agony, pushing through the pain just to finish a meal. Even with large doses of painkillers (around 750 mg), relief was minimal.
Eventually, he underwent a Gamma Knife surgery, which lasted nearly eight hours. Afterward, though medical advice had warned of only partial improvement (20-30%), Salman said the pain completely disappeared.
While his battle with trigeminal neuralgia has ended, Salman also shared that he still lives with other serious medical issues: an aneurysm and arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in his brain. Despite these, he continues to work and hopes that by speaking out, he can offer support and solace to others suffering in silence.
(Also read: How Suniel Shetty’s Simple Act of Kindness Stayed With Salman Khan Forever!)
