Final answer:
Tic douloureux, also known as trigeminal neuralgia, is associated with severe pain in the sensory distribution of the trigeminal nerve. This nerve is responsible for conveying various sensory information, including pain, from the face to the brain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The severe, lancinating, stabbing pain in the sensory distribution described in the question, known as tic douloureux, is associated with the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve is responsible for conveying somatosensory information from the face, head, mouth, and nasal cavity to the brain. It enters the brainstem at the level of the pons, with synapses distributed across several nuclei throughout the brain stem. The spinal trigeminal nucleus, located in the medulla, specifically deals with conveying pain, temperature, and crude touch. Thus, tic douloureux, also known as trigeminal neuralgia, is characterized by intense pain in the areas supplied by the trigeminal nerve branches, which include the ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular divisions.