Cervical Spinal Cord Stimulation for Facial Pain

Neuropathic facial pain can be exceedingly difficult to manage with conventional therapies. Since this pain may be excruciating and often debilitating and some patients do not respond or do not tolerate conventional treatments, the interest in neuromodulation therapies is increasing. One of the most commonly used neuromodulation therapies, spinal cord stimulation, has recently shown promise in treating facial pain. We reviewed the current literature to determine usefulness of spinal cord stimulation in management of refractory facial pain. Our review indicates that for some patients with intractable pain in portions of the face, cervical spinal cord stimulation may be effective at reducing pain.