If you have atypical facial pain, then you understand how important it is to get the right treatment for you. Your pain can prevent you from enjoying your normal activities and lifestyle. Symptoms can make concentrating on even the most menial task difficult or impossible. Symptoms of atypical facial pain include:
- Dull, squeezing pain on one side of your face
- Long lasting ache or deep pains in your face, jaw or ear
- Dull pains with occasional sharp, electric-like pains in your face
- Tooth and jaw pain
Atypical facial pain typically is chronic — it lasts for a long period of time. The symptoms mimic trigeminal neuralgia, although the symptoms are more severe and long lasting. Knowing the best atypical facial pain treatment — and their general costs – can help you get the proper care for your condition.
Causes of Atypical Facial Pain
There may be many different causes of atypical facial pain, including serious problems like stroke, a brain cyst/tumor or multiple sclerosis. These causes of facial pain are rare. More often, your pain is caused by irritation of one of your cranial nerves called the trigeminal nerve. This nerve innervates your face and sends sensory information from your face and jaw to your brain. Sometimes, an artery and vein that are near your nerve can compress it, causing pain in your face.
The main atypical facial pain treatments are designed to help control your pain and relieve pressure off your trigeminal nerve. Working with a trusted neurosurgeon can help you understand the treatments available, their effectiveness and their overall cost.
Medication for Atypical Facial Pain Treatment
When you are first diagnosed with facial pain, your doctor may prescribe antispasmodic or anticonvulsant medication to decrease your pain. These drugs may be effective initially, but your body may develop a tolerance to the medicine, and therefore your doctor may need to frequently adjust dosages.
Your doctor may also need to have you try different medicines or combinations of medicines to find what works for you. Drugs for atypical facial pain may also carry with them side effects such as dizziness, headache or drowsiness. Be sure to work closely with your doctor to fully understand the medicine that you are taking as part of your atypical facial pain treatment.
Frequently changing medicine and working to find the best medicine for your atypical facial pain treatment may make this a costly endeavor. That’s why many patients choose surgery for a definitive atypical facial pain treatment.
Microvascular Decompression Surgery for Atypical Facial Pain
Microvascular decompression is a type of brain surgery for atypical facial pain. During this operation, your doctor will make a small incision behind your ear and then locate your trigeminal nerve. Then, a small Teflon pad will be placed between your nerve and its neighboring artery.
The benefit of microvascular decompression is that it can provide rapid, long-term facial pain relief. Because of this, it is often the first choice for patients suffering from atypical facial pain. It is an open brain surgery, with risks of blood loss, neurological impairment or infection. Be sure you speak with your doctor about microvascular decompression so you understand the surgery and how it can help your atypical facial pain.
The cost of microvascular decompression depends on your personal situation and your recovery course. Factors that may have an effect on your overall cost of microvascular decompression include:
- Your health insurance
- The length of your hospital stay (most patients stay in the hospital for three days after surgery.)
- Your overall health prior to surgery
- The location of your surgical center (a hospital close to your home means less travel for you.)
Since many patients get full and rapid relief of their symptoms with microvascular decompression, many choose this as their primary atypical facial pain treatment.
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Atypical Facial Pain
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery involves using several beams of radiation focused on your trigeminal nerve. This slightly damages the nerve, leading to decreased pain signals traveling through it. Gamma Knife Radiosurgery has a good success rate, and the procedure can be repeated if your facial pain persists.
The cost of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery depends on your health insurance and the severity of your condition. Finding a hospital near your home can help you ease costs by limiting travel.
Percutaneous Rhizotomy for Atypical Facial Pain Treatment
Percutaneous rhizotomy involves using a needle to thread an electrode to an area near your affected trigeminal nerve. The electrode is used to cauterize the nerve, slightly damaging it and leading to decreased nerve transmissions. This procedure can help you decrease your pain, although relief occurs slowly over time. The procedure can be repeated if necessary.
Percutaneous rhizotomy can be done on an outpatient basis and therefore the costs associated with the procedure are manageable by most patients with adequate health insurance coverage.
Pain Stimulator Placement
Pain stimulator placement involves threading an electrode to an area near your trigeminal nerve. Then, a small handheld controller is used to provide electrical stimulation to your nerve, replacing your facial pain with a slight numbing sensation.
The surgery is typically done in two stages. First, a temporary stimulator is implanted. If this device gives you 50 percent relief or more in facial pain, another surgery is done to implant the permanent pain stimulator. Because of this, pain stimulator implant may become a costly option for sufferers of atypical facial pain.
Regardless of the atypical facial pain treatment you choose, you must find a trusted NJ neurosurgeon to help you decide on the best treatment for you.
Find the Best Neurosurgeon for Atypical Facial Pain Treatment
When deciding on atypical facial pain treatment, your choice in neurosurgeon is as important as your choice in treatment. Your doctor should feel like a trusted ally who can help you have the best possible outcome with your surgery.
The top-rated neurosurgeons who treat atypical facial pain share certain qualities, including:
- Use innovative diagnostic and surgical techniques
- Lead their field by publishing research in scholarly journals
- Are board certified
- Work with a caring and compassionate staff
Most importantly, your personal experience with your neurosurgeon and his or her staff can help you have a positive outcome with your atypical facial pain treatment. Your doctor should take the time to answer your questions and concerns, and you should never feel rushed when deciding about facial pain surgery. You should feel like you and your neurosurgeon are working together to have the best possible outcome with your surgery.
Atypical facial pain treatment can be a complicated matter. There are many different treatments available, each with a different set of benefits and risks. Plus, knowing the cost of each procedure can help you make an informed decision when choosing the best treatment for you. Understanding the cost and benefits of surgery, and working with a top-rated NJ neurosurgeon, can help you quickly get back to your normal level of pain-free activity.
