Relieving the Pain of Trigeminal Neuralgia

from BestHealth, September 2005

James Leppink, a retired patent attorney from Hendersonville, North Carolina, had suffered from trigeminal neuralgia — one of the most painful conditions known to medicine — for more than four years before he finally found a treatment that worked.

Gamma Knife “knifeless” surgery was the answer he had been seeking. Trigeminal neuralgia is an irritation of the fifth cranial (trigeminal) nerve that provides sensation to the face. The pain is brief, but is so intense it can be debilitating.

“I experienced excruciating pain as often as every half-hour,” said Leppink. “I had been to see all types of physicians including neurologists and four different pain specialists and tried many different treatments—nothing helped.”

He credits his daughter Kelly with finding Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center — home of North Carolina’s first Gamma Knife — via the Internet.

In the past, treatments for trigeminal neuralgia have included anti-seizure medications and major brain surgery to reposition blood vessels pressing on the nerve. Another option—inserting a needle through the face to numb the nerve—can cause permanent facial numbness.

Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery, however, is a non-invasive procedure that treats the part of the nerve causing pain so it cannot transmit pain signals. The outpatient procedure offers the same degree of pain control as surgical options and does not cause facial numbness in most patients.

“I had my Gamma Knife treatment in March 2004 and it was really quite a nice experience,” said Leppink. “Everyone treated me so well and took the time to be sure I understood everything that was happening. I was actually so relaxed that I went to sleep during the procedure.”

More than a year later he is very pleased with the results. “I’m doing great. I still have some pain but it’s nothing like I had before. I credit the wonderful folks at the Gamma Knife Center—they’re absolutely top notch,” he said.