There is significant cross-over among the cranial neuralgia treatments and those treatments which are suitable for anesthesia dolorosa, and trigeminal deafferentation pain. Yet, some of the interventions for cranial neuralgias are contraindicated for patients in the latter group.
Because there are important treatment decisions that must be made, a patient must receive an accurate differential diagnosis at the onset of their pain condition. Treating the wrong condition can be wholly ineffective and very disappointing, and sadly, that is the best possible outcome. Misdiagnosis and improper treatment can potentially create more pain for the patient than before treatment. Tragically, that increased pain could be permanent.
Accurate and complete diagnosis is imperative.
In addition to the ones that are covered here, there are other treatments that are less common or being prescribed off-label, but are worth investigating, nonetheless. For example, some people have reported positive outcomes with:
- ketamine
- newer, less invasive neurostimulators
- medical cannabis
Research into the efficacy of these treatments and others is ongoing. If you are interested in finding out more, Google the above terms and read results from reputable medical sites only. Anyone interested in clinical trials for newer treatments should also research the government’s clinical trials database for their specific diagnosis.
