Hi Denise and Deb,
Yes, the whole idea is hopeful. My pain management doc is Ian Carrol, MD at Stanford PC. He is great. Says there are alot of docs out there trying various surgical approaches but has worries about further injury to the nerve. Like he says, in about 5 years we'll have better options. I'd asked if I'd have to live like this the rest of my life. He says he hopes the nerve will burn itself out.
For me, my trigger points etc fire at me one way or another all the time w/ and without meds (anit-depres. or seizure meds) to some degree. Then there are times (used to be several times per week before I started anti drugs) the pain would excellerate to a migraine type pain, which Dr C says is the firing nerve (ie superior auricular) gets the trigeminal nerve going, which is of course excruciating. To date, he's found a combination of meds is best because there are differing proteins that get this firing goingl He tells me to let others know here that are in this boat to make sure you are seen at a Univ based PC.
Hope this helps.
T
