Orofacial Pain Treatments

Facial pain can be difficult to diagnose and treat. What might work?

Treatments:

• Injections of the sphenopalatine ganglion, a little nerve bundle that sits behind the ethmoid sinus or behind the nose, and influences the pain experience in the head
• A stimulator (if the FDA passes it)
• Injections and a stimulator have been shown to be helpful for migraine and for cluster headache
• An implantable stimulator (approved in Europe for cluster headache): if approved in the US, it may open doors for off-label uses for other facial pain treatments. It’s implanted through the buccal mucosa, through the lip, and sits in the sphenopalatine ganglion. It’s wireless, turned on through a radiofrequency ID tag, and controlled by a handheld device applied to the face when experiencing a pain attack