Linear Accelerator Radiosurgery Offers An Effective, Noninvasive Treatment Option For Trigeminal Neuralgia-Related Pain

Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition that presents the most excruciating pain known to humans. It is most often described as an intense stabbing, electric shock-like pain that is caused by irritation of the trigeminal nerve in the face. In this condition the nerve becomes damaged at the point where it leaves the brainstem, which causes a misfiring of the nerve. Researchers at UCLA have been experimenting on the effects of linear accelerator radiosurgery to treat trigeminal neuralgia for the last 10 years. The radiosurgery delivers a single, highly concentrated pulse of ionizing radiation to the damaged region near the brainstem. This promotes the growth of a legion in the nerve, thus interrupting the pain signals. With this procedure, about 69% of the patients experienced an excellent pain relief for 19 months of follow up. About 90% of the total patients experienced a significant relief as well as the pain 19 months was less intense. Overall the usefulness of the treatment is evident. Besides a prolonged pain relief, the non invasiveness and the minimal risk involved make this one of the better, more reliable, treatment options.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=69291


I thought this article was great. It showed how there can be a simple solution to such big problem. Even if the pain is relieved for about 19 months, the effectiveness of this method has shown that there will be yet more research to improve the techniques and help patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia.