If you have chronic facial pain, also known as chronic idiopathic orofacial pain, you understand how your persistent and unrelenting symptoms can make even the most basic task difficult. Your pain may prevent you from concentrating on work tasks or from enjoying simple meals or time with family and friends.
Many people with facial pain feel they must travel to a large metropolitan area to get the best treatment. Residents of northern New Jersey often ask how they can fix chronic facial pain while staying in NJ. The best way to treat your pain is to learn all you can about the condition and find a New Jersey neurosurgeon who specializes in facial pain disorders.
Symptoms of Chronic Facial Pain
There are many different symptoms of chronic idiopathic facial pain. These may include:
- Pain on one side of your face that is present for greater than three months
- Pain in your ear or temple
- Burning or tingling sensations in your face
- Facial pain combined with neck and skull pain
- Squeezing or dull jaw and cheek pain
These symptoms tend to be unrelenting, and they last for a long time, hence the term “chronic.” If you are dealing with facial pain, see your doctor right away and get an accurate diagnosis of your condition and start on the best treatment for you.
What Causes Chronic Facial Pain?
There are many different causes of facial pain. Sometimes a serious issue like a stroke or multiple sclerosis can cause your pain. These causes are rare; most often your pain is caused by irritation of your trigeminal nerve, the 5th cranial nerve. This nerve travels from your brain stem and innervates areas on each side of your face.
What can irritate your trigeminal nerve? The most common cause of trigeminal nerve irritation is compression on the nerve by an artery that resides nearby. When this nerve and artery rub together, pain may be felt in your face. When this happens for a long period of time, your pain may be classified as chronic facial pain.
Treatment for Chronic Facial Pain
Initial treatment for chronic facial pain may be medication. Medicine prescribed by your doctor can help lessen the pain or the squeezing sensations you feel. Unfortunately for many people, the medicine loses its effectiveness over time, and ultimately, you may need to consider a more definitive treatment for your facial pain. Medication simply does not offer long-term relief with chronic idiopathic facial pain.
The definitive treatment for chronic facial pain is surgery. There are different types of surgical procedures available to help remedy your condition. Working closely with an NJ neurosurgeon can help you better understand the different surgeries available and therefore make a decision.
Different surgery for specific types of facial pain includes:
- Microvascular Decompression: During this surgery, your doctor makes a small incision behind your ear, and then a tiny piece of your skull is removed to allow your neurosurgeon to visualize your trigeminal nerve. Then, a small Teflon pad will be placed between your trigeminal nerve and its neighboring artery. After surgery, most patients enjoy a rapid abatement of their facial pain symptoms, and most experience long-term relief.
- Gamma Knife Radiosurgery: This surgery uses multiple beams of focused radiation directed at your trigeminal nerve. The radiation slightly damages the nerve, decreasing transmission through it and therefore decreasing your facial pain.
- Percutaneous Rhizotomy: Percutaneous rhizotomy involves using a small needle to thread an electrode near your trigeminal nerve. The nerve is then cauterized with the electrode, slightly damaging your nerve and reducing or eliminating your facial pain.
- Pain Stimulator Placement: Some patients with chronic facial pain benefit from a pain stimulator placement. During this procedure, a small wire is threaded to an area near your trigeminal nerve, and electrical impulses are used to help decrease the pain that you are feeling in your face. The implant is placed permanently and allows you to control the level of electrical stimulation with a small handheld device.
Taking the time to find a top-rated NJ neurosurgeon can help you have the best outcome from your chronic idiopathic facial pain treatment.
Qualities of a Top-Rated NJ Neurosurgeon
What makes a neurosurgeon top-rated? What are the qualities you should look for in an NJ neurosurgeon?
First, your doctor should be a recognized expert in his or her field. Board certification with the American Board of Neurological Surgery indicates that your neurosurgeon is an expert in the profession.
Your doctor should also use innovative surgical techniques and procedures. Many doctors are unwilling to spend the time to learn new techniques in order to appropriately treat chronic facial pain patients.
Your neurosurgeon should also engage in academic study and research. A quick search on the internet can show you the studies your surgeon has published.
Most importantly, your neurosurgeon for chronic facial pain needs to be a compassionate professional who understands your needs and the personal effect that your facial pain has on your lifestyle. He or she should listen to your questions and concerns and should take the time to explain all of the possible treatment options.
Find a Neurosurgeon in NJ for Chronic Facial Pain
The best way to find a top-rated NJ neurosurgeon for chronic facial pain is to visit different professionals and get an idea of their treatment style. You should never feel rushed in or out of the doctor’s office; you should feel like you and your doctor are working together to put an end to your facial pain symptoms.
The best ways to locate a facial pain neurosurgeon in NJ include:
- Asking family members and friends about their experience with facial pain treatment in NJ.
- Meeting with several neurosurgeons to find the right one for you.
- Asking your family physician about facial pain neurosurgeons.
The most important thing you can do to treat your pain is to find the best neurosurgeon for you. That way, you can focus on the right treatment to quickly and safely get rid of your pain.
Living with chronic facial pain does not mean you are sentenced to a life of nagging pain. It also doesn’t require special trips into the big city to find a facial pain specialist. You can locate a top-rated neurosurgeon in NJ who treats chronic facial pain. By working with the best, you can be sure to quickly resolve your facial pain symptoms and get back to your normal active lifestyle.
