Mariann M. Ward, RN, MS, NP
Department of Neurological Surgery
University of California at San Francisco
Be prepared! The more organized you are prior to your appointment, the more beneficial the appointment will be for both you and your Health Care Provider (HCP)
Bring a notebook with you to your appointment with the following information in it about your face pain and be prepared to discuss these topics with your HCP.
1. Give a clear and concise description of your pain including:
- Onset: When did the pain begin and how long did it last? Has the pain recurred? If so, how long after the initial episode did it recur? How often is the pain occurring now?
- Location: Where on your face (point to it) does the pain start and does it spread. If it does spread- where?
- Character: What does the pain feel like? Is it sharp, electrical, burning, dull, throbbing. Is it constant or episodic? Are there specific triggers to your pain? What makes it better? What makes it worse?
- Severity: Is your pain mild, moderate, severe, or incapacitating? Has the severity changed over time?
2. List the medications that you are currently taking for your face pain including:
- Dosages and administration schedule
3. List the medications you have tried in the past for your face pain including:
- How long you took the medication
4. List all medication allergies and your allergic response.
5. Medical and Surgical history:
- List concurrent medical problems
- List prior medical problems, surgical procedures, and dental issues and procedures.
6. List evaluations and treatments by other HCP to date, and outcomes.
- Bring copies of prior imaging studies (MRI, CT scan, X-rays) and reports
- Bring copies of consultations, treatment and/or operative procedure reports
- Did any procedures/treatments help?
7. Share your views on what you think is causing your pain.
8. Ask “Do you think I have Trigeminal Neuralgia?”
9. Ask about treatment options available to treat your specific face pain.
- Complementary/Alternative
10. Inquire about the health care provider’s specific medical and/or surgical experience in treating patients with facial pain, including trigeminal neuralgia:
- Do you specialize in treating patients with trigeminal neuralgia and/or face pain?
- How many patients with TN do you see each year?
- What diagnostic tools and treatments for TN are available at your institution?
- What treatment option(s) do you recommend for my pain and why?
- What are the pros and cons of each surgical procedure for treating my TN?
- What is the success rate of each procedure in your hands?
- What is the complication rate of each procedure in your hands?
- If I wanted a second opinion regarding my diagnosis and/or treatment options, who would you recommend I see?
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