Salt Water Success Story

Chris Guthrie, Moonee Ponds, Victoria, AUSTRALIA

My wife Simone was diagnosed with classic TN around July 2003 after numerous visits to doctors, dentists, chiropractors, an accupuncturist and other specialists, seeking relief. The diagnosis took place after X Rays, various examinations and an MRI were carried out. These were all inconclusive but her symptoms were such that her neurologist was as certain as he could be that it was TN.

The medication prescribed by her neurologist was tegretol which did provide relief but side effects as well, particularly when she first began the dosage. He also recommended that she consider an MVD given her relatively young age (38) and the nature of the side effects of the drugs.

Recently she went away for a weekend to the beach with some friends. They went swimming in the surf and my wife tried some body surfing which meant that salt water went up her nose, in her ears and eyes. As well, she says she was thrown around by the waves quite significantly.

After some time in the water she got out and found that she felt her head was starting to clear (she had complained that her head often felt "stuffed up"). A mucous like substance began emanating from her nose and ears.

She began withdrawing medication almost immediately and to her great delight, and apart from the "odd twinge" a day to a week later she has been virtually pain free ever since.

We think now that she had some sort of low grade infection that had never been picked up or cleared up, which was perhaps placing pressure on the trigeminal nerve. So in her case the saltwater treatment for TN worked, quite by accident. She now tries to regularly swim in the surf at a beach to make sure it never comes back and we are all keeping our fingers crossed!

Updated 1-11-05