Content area
Full Text
ABSTRACT
Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition of severe pain in the face which can cause tremendous suffering to an individual. Although there are various medical, surgical and conservative options available to treat trigeminal neuralgia, each approach offers a unique set of strengths and limitations. In an attempt to provide additional avenues of therapeutic efficacy to reduce the burden of this disease, we have investigated an application which could potentially alleviate the pain and suffering associated with trigeminal neuralgia. Herein, we describe how pneumatic insufflation to the external auditory meatus results in rapid and significant pain relief in trigeminal neuralgia. This is the first instance within the neurological literature that ear insufflation has been documented as a modulator of trigeminal neuralgia pain.
Keywords: trigeminal neuralgia, trigeminal nerve, auriculotemporal nerve, ear insufflation, neurorehabilitation, clinical application
INTRODUCTION
It has recently been demonstrated that pneumatic insufflation of the ear can produce rapid and profound improvement in acute migraine headaches [1]. This application of ear insufflation had historically been used only as a diagnostic tool, but recent evidence suggests that it may serve as an effective therapeutic technique in the treatment of neurologically mediated pain. The goal of the current investigation was to explore how ear insufflation could aid in the modulation of trigeminal neuralgia pain.
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is typically characterized by sudden and severe, sharp electric-type, neuropathic pain [2-4]. The pain attacks are usually paroxysmal and short lasting but they are generally recurrent and can become a severe burden to the individual [5]. In fact, TN has become known as the 'suicide disease' because of the increased rate of suicide attempts associated with this condition [6]. The prevalence rate of TN is approximately 4.5 per 100,000 individuals and usually occurs in patients between the ages of 50 and 70 [2,3]. There are some known factors understood to cause trigeminal neuralgia, including mechanical compression, demyelination and trauma [7], but in most cases, there is no clear etiology [8,9]. Because of the age-related aspects of the typically affected populations, and the often idiopathic nature of the disorder, successful management and treatment of trigeminal neuralgia can often times become difficult and challenging [10].
Various medical and surgical therapies are available to treat the pain of trigeminal neuralgia. Common pharmaceutical...