Question
Hi Barry. I have been for numerous Craniotomies. Many side effects including HRT, Thyroid medication and Cortisone treatment for the last 12 years. I am 27 years old, and the fact that my doctors have told me they have done everything to try relieve my pain on my head is not good enough. There must be something!! I have been for numerous Rhizotomies to try help, but to no avail. The tumour is very small and does not affect me in any way, but the scar tissue pain (which the doctors call Neuralgia) is unbearable!! I live every day of my life in pain and can't seem to even keep a job for too long because of this. Please help, I'm desperate!!

Answer
Candice

Thanks for your question. I am sorry to hear that you're having such extreme difficulty, especially at such a young age.

Any type of neuralgia or nerve pain is very difficult to treat medically. That being said, you are very smart to feel that the doctors telling you they've "done everything" is not a satisfactory answer.

In terms of medications, have you been tried on either Lyrica or Cymbalta. Lyrica has been approved for treatment of neuropathic pain. Cymbalta is an anti-depressant that has some mechanism of action that can also help with pain.

I'm not sure whether there is any application of electrical stimulation technology that might be helpful. There has been more use recently of spinal cord stimulation implants for back pain, a center that knows about this procedure may be able to tell you if there is any potential for this type of procedure in your case.

While you are pursuing getting answers on the medical side, try to do what you can to enhance your quality of life with the pain you have. Consider trying relaxation training, hypnosis, meditation as ways to decrease your body's level of arousal and give you some sense of peace.

I don't like to tell people to just accept that they have pain in the sense of giving up trying to find answers, but I do recommend cultivating acceptance of what is today, even if we don't like it and hope to change it in the future.

Given the complexity of your medical history, I'm assuming you have been treated at a large training hospital or medical school. If you have not, it would be a good idea to try to be evaluated at one to see what other treatment possibilities might be available. New treatments for pain are being developed all the time, so don't give up.

All my best.

Barry Hughes, Ph.D.