In answer to some posts. I am new here. I started having Trigeminal Neuralgia pain when I was 52. I am now 60. I suffered and was on all kinds of medication. I was then set up for a Gamma Knife surgery. This worked for 18 months and then the pain returned. My neurosurgeon in all of his omnipotent wisdom determined that the best course of action was a microvascular decompression. He failed to mention, that since I had already had Gamma Knife, this might damage my nerve. Well it did. For three years now I have suffered with Anesthesia Dolorosa. I have been in pain management all of that time. The surgery left me deaf in my left ear, with immense tongue pain on the left side. I am fortunate that I have found a wonderfully compassionate and skilled pain managment doctor. I have recently gone through a trial of having a wire run along my lower jaw and attached to a control device that stimulates the nerve, thereby giving me relief. It is working so well that next Tuesday I will have the permanent implant put in my chest. I am detoxing from morphine and I find that I want to live again. I had given up and wished I would die. My suggestion to anybody with this, is to find a good pain managment doctor. If they don't help you, find another. And most of all; do not ever let another neurosurgeon PRACTICE on you. My best to all who suffer with this disease.
p.s. this device is made by St. Judes