Treatment of vascular and tension headache, atypical facial pain, and cervical muscle hyperactivity
First Claim
1. In a method for medical treatment of a condition selected from the group consisting of vascular headache, tension headache, atypical facial pain, and cervical muscle hyperactivity comprising indirectly applying to a subject having such condition a cold supplying medium to the zone of intra-oral tenderness located in the area of the plexus formed by the posterior superior alveolar branch of the ipsilateral maxillary nerve of a subject having one of said conditions, the improvement being injecting a local dental anesthetic in a dental pain relieving amount into said zone of intra-oral tenderness in conjunction with the application of said cold supplying medium.
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Abstract
A new method for treatment of vascular headaches (migraine and cluster), tension headache, atypical (chronic) facial pain, and cervical muscle spasm is presented. This method comprises the application of cold water or saline (0°-4° C.), cold metal or ice to the area of tenderness associated with the plexus formed by the posterior superior alveolar branch of the ipsilateral maxillary nerve, as well as to other branches of the trigeminal nerve. Immediately preceding the application of the cold, an injection of a conventional dental anesthetic in the conventional amount used for that purpose can be made. The cold or frozen water or saline can be applied indirectly when contained in small bags, tubes or packets made of plastic film, latex, silicone, or the like. Metal tubes can also be used which have been chilled by either passing cold water or ice through their hollow interiors. Plastic tubes encasing a column of ice, which ice can be extruded gradually by the patient or clinician by means of a plunger inserted into the tubes can also be advantageously used. The cold treatment even without the use of the dental anesthetic is effective if the treatment time with the cold is extended to from about 20 to about 40 minutes. Alleviation of pain is noted within a short period of the onset of the treatment. Repeated treatment even during pain free periods offers protracted benefits, i.e., prevention or amelioration of the headaches or other conditions.
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18 Claims
- 1. In a method for medical treatment of a condition selected from the group consisting of vascular headache, tension headache, atypical facial pain, and cervical muscle hyperactivity comprising indirectly applying to a subject having such condition a cold supplying medium to the zone of intra-oral tenderness located in the area of the plexus formed by the posterior superior alveolar branch of the ipsilateral maxillary nerve of a subject having one of said conditions, the improvement being injecting a local dental anesthetic in a dental pain relieving amount into said zone of intra-oral tenderness in conjunction with the application of said cold supplying medium.
Specification