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TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) is an irritation of the 5th cranial (trigeminal) nerve.  It causes sharp, shooting pain up and down your face that has been described as the "worst pain known to mankind".  It may be one of the symptoms of an AN (usually not the only one), though one can have trigeminal neuralgia from other causes.  For AN patients, AN surgery stops the pain;  radiosurgery has been successfully used to treat trigeminal pain as well.   For others, Dr. Peter Janetta at the University of Pittsburgh may have the answer.  TN Association's address is: P.O. Box 340, Barnegat Light, NJ 08006, phone # 609-361-1014

In the Sept 1996 issue of IRSA's "Another Perspective," Dr. Ronald Young, NW GK Center, Seattle, WA (1-206-368-1626) has an article entitled "GK Relieves Trigeminal Neuralgia." Among other things, he writes: ". . .pressure on the trigeminal nerve...by a tumor...can produce sensory irritation that results in symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia." He claims that pharmacological & surgical treatments have significant limitations and drawbacks. He describes these. He says (with data) that GK has been quite successful.

The June 1998 issue of IRSA's "Another Perspective," has an update of GK with a section devoted to TN.  A more technical paper on this topic is GAMMA KNIFE RADIOSURGERY FOR TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA: RESULTS AND EXPECTATIONS by Douglas Kondziolka and Bernardo Perez, M.D.

Apparently, FSR can does trick, too.  Here is a patient story:

FSR of my AN carried out in early April this year has totally stopped my evil headaches now! True, I still get the odd "ordinary headaches" but the top of the skull to the neck "hit with a hammer" 12 hours at a time ones have totally dissappeared!

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Last Edited: Friday, November 01, 2002