Kenneth Brothwood - Shingles in 2001 and suffered chronic facial pain ever since
Kenneth suffers from post herpetic neuralgia affecting the right ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. He has severe burning pain, allodynia (VAS 10/10) localised to the exit site of the supraorbital nerve and to the side of his nose (nasociliary nerve branch).
Kenneth has been unresponsive to drugs and creams during the last 5 years. He got 2 days relief from a supraorbital nerve blockade and 2 days relief from Pulsed RF. 1st PENS Treatment:
Kenneth was treated with 25 minutes PENS therapy, 2.3Volts increasing to 3.0Volts. He reported a tingling sensation along the jaw line and a pulsing at the eyebrow during treatment.
“Ten minutes into this treatment my pain was completely gone, my eyebrow felt numb and my nose and eye felt normal”.
At 12 hours Kenneth’s pain started to return and by 24 hours his pain was back to normal. Despite this short lived response Kenneth was willing to return for a further treatment of PENS therapy, this time with the Probe positioned at the supraorbital margin. 2nd PENS Treatment:
After 2minutes of stimulation at 3.0Volts Kenneth reported complete pain relief, so the balance of the treatment session was aborted. Kenneth was left with the Probe in place for 2 hours during which time the pain did not return. Kenneth received a further 25 minutes of PENS therapy at 3.0Volts before leaving the clinic.
Kenneth remained completely pain free for 6 days, with the exception of some pain from bruising over the eyebrow.
Ongoing Treatment Options:
Having established that Kenneth’s pain is responsive to electrical stimulation with PENS therapy, and that his duration of the pain relief is <30days, he will now be considered for a permanently implanted stimulator at the supraorbital margin.
