has anyone tried nerve blocks for tn? how much do they work? thanks michelle
Try a search on "block" in our search window, Michelle. You'll get several pages of hits. Stellate Ganglion Blocks are effective for periods of months for some patients, but don't help others. It's not clear why the results are so varied. We can only speculate that TN can be a distributed process in the trigeminal distribution rather than a discrete injury to the nerve from a compressing blood vessel.
Regards, Red
Please get our "Bible" we use here --- Striking Back -- this book will give you soooo much detail on so many meds, procedures, natural therapies, written by the surgeon who did my MVD operation.
You must consider heavily - that if you do nerve damaging procedures -- that if you should someday desire an MVD -- your results will be less promising --- Learn All You Can for weeks/months before any procedure.
The most effiecient way to good treatment is to study different avenues = then come here and ask what you need to know more in depth. This is one place that is safe for information, and many people have gone on certain meds or had procedures or surgeries in haste - without educating themselves.
Keep Posting!
I have had 2 trigeminal blocks , and 2 sphenopalatine blocks , and 1 lidocaine injection to the base of the nerve,none of them lasted more than 6 hours…once the numbing agent wore off the pain was still there!! Very disheartened!! This was after an unsuccessful MVD…best thing I have done is find a great med combo of trileptal, baclofen and cymbalta…I have my life back!! I have a few bad moments but overall I am functioning again 
Hi Michelle. I have been diagnosed with Atypical TN II as a result of an MRI that did not show the nerve being affected by the artery in my neck. The surgeon recommended two nerve (ganglion) blocks and they were successful for a couple of hours. The blocks are only diagnostic to prove that the pain is really where it is. Success is that I was 100% pain free for a short period of time. Since they worked, it made me a candidate for Gamma Knife to the ganglion nerve bundle in my left cheek. I had that procedure done on April 11th. It is now May 10th. I did not have immediate relief. Some good days (no good days before the knife) and some really bad days. I got a massage (very intense) of my neck and skull and cheek area on Monday and I did some easy yoga last night and I cannot believe it but I am pain free today! The surgeon advised that I would be in peaks and valleys of pain for the next month or so. I am going to continue yoga and massage therapy and try acupuncture next week. I just might be normal soon! Good luck to you. Deb
how do i get the "Bible", Striking Back ... i need to do some research before i decide what my next course of action will be
R/
Rebecca
Kc Dancer Kc said:
Please get our "Bible" we use here --- Striking Back -- this book will give you soooo much detail on so many meds, procedures, natural therapies, written by the surgeon who did my MVD operation.
You must consider heavily - that if you do nerve damaging procedures -- that if you should someday desire an MVD -- your results will be less promising --- Learn All You Can for weeks/months before any procedure.
The most effiecient way to good treatment is to study different avenues = then come here and ask what you need to know more in depth. This is one place that is safe for information, and many people have gone on certain meds or had procedures or surgeries in haste - without educating themselves.
Keep Posting!
I am responding to this comment so I can refer to it again. Need to have it in the section of my page to refer back to it since I am highly considering the same type of “trial” to see if a more permanent prcedure will work.
Deb said:
Hi Michelle. I have been diagnosed with Atypical TN II as a result of an MRI that did not show the nerve being affected by the artery in my neck. The surgeon recommended two nerve (ganglion) blocks and they were successful for a couple of hours. The blocks are only diagnostic to prove that the pain is really where it is. Success is that I was 100% pain free for a short period of time. Since they worked, it made me a candidate for Gamma Knife to the ganglion nerve bundle in my left cheek. I had that procedure done on April 11th. It is now May 10th. I did not have immediate relief. Some good days (no good days before the knife) and some really bad days. I got a massage (very intense) of my neck and skull and cheek area on Monday and I did some easy yoga last night and I cannot believe it but I am pain free today! The surgeon advised that I would be in peaks and valleys of pain for the next month or so. I am going to continue yoga and massage therapy and try acupuncture next week. I just might be normal soon! Good luck to you. Deb
Notafraid, I have posted on various discussions in detail about my disastrous 1st nerve block procedure. And on my own profile page you can read a bit about how much worse it made my pain. Feel free to contact me with a message if you can’t find my info on this site. I was told it was a “no risk” procedure. OMG. Not true in my case.
Notafraid said:
I am responding to this comment so I can refer to it again. Need to have it in the section of my page to refer back to it since I am highly considering the same type of “trial” to see if a more permanent prcedure will work.
Deb said:Hi Michelle. I have been diagnosed with Atypical TN II as a result of an MRI that did not show the nerve being affected by the artery in my neck. The surgeon recommended two nerve (ganglion) blocks and they were successful for a couple of hours. The blocks are only diagnostic to prove that the pain is really where it is. Success is that I was 100% pain free for a short period of time. Since they worked, it made me a candidate for Gamma Knife to the ganglion nerve bundle in my left cheek. I had that procedure done on April 11th. It is now May 10th. I did not have immediate relief. Some good days (no good days before the knife) and some really bad days. I got a massage (very intense) of my neck and skull and cheek area on Monday and I did some easy yoga last night and I cannot believe it but I am pain free today! The surgeon advised that I would be in peaks and valleys of pain for the next month or so. I am going to continue yoga and massage therapy and try acupuncture next week. I just might be normal soon! Good luck to you. Deb
Hi
I be had 5 stellate ganglion nerve blocks over the last few years with mixed results. The first lasted a few months and did provide fantastic relief. The second didn’t work at all. The third they used radiofrequency as well and that lasted about 6 months. The forth was the best, I had a solid 9 months completely pain free. As my pain is bilateral and they only injected the left side the doc was unsure why they’ve all when successful taken away the pain on both sides. The last was also radiofrequency and they decided to “zap me harder” p, it was a disaster and was an extremely painful procedure, I still want to cry when I think back, it doesn’t seem to have worked. I’m on the fence about trying again, just wish I could guarantee the success of the forth one
Btw, I have type 2 atypical
Not sure if this helps but I hope whatever decision you make turns out well
Hello! I have had bad experiences with nerve blocks. When I got them done, my pain actually increased right to a 10 for a week constant. I had some in my neck, shoulder and TMJ. It is very different for everyone though, and I have read many posts about the nerve blocks working. Good luck if you decide to get them done!! Hope you get some relief!