Allsop, MJ, Twiddy, M, Grant, H et al. (6 more authors) (2015) Diagnosis, medication and surgical management for patients with trigeminal neuralgia: a qualitative study. Acta Neurochirurgica, 157 (11). 1925 - 1933. ISSN 0001-6268
Abstract
Background Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) is a serious health problem, causing brief, recurrent episodes of stabbing or burning facial pain, which patients describe as feeling like an electric shock. The consequences of living with the condition are severe. There is currently no cure for TN and management of the condition can be complex, often delayed by misdiagnosis. Patients' qualitative experiential accounts of TN have not been reported in the literature. Capturing subjective experiences can be used to inform the impact of the condition on quality of life and may contribute to a better understanding of current clinical practice with the aim of improving patient care. Methods Participants with TN (N = 16; 11 female), including those who have and have not undergone surgical intervention(s), took part one of four focus groups. We conducted a thematic analysis within an essentialist framework using transcripts. Results The impact of TN and treatment on the lives of participants emerged as three predominant themes: [1] experience of trigeminal neuralgia, [2] living in fear of TN pain, and [3] medication burden and looking for a cure. Each theme is discussed and illustrated with extracts from the transcripts. Conclusions Key issues to address in the management of patients with TN include continued delays in diagnosis, persistent side effects from medication, and a lack of psychological support. Developing strategies to enhance the management of patients with TN, informed by a biopsychosocial approach and multidisciplinary team working, is essential to enhance the provision of current care.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s) 2015. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com |
Keywords: | trigeminal neuralgia; medication; surgery; management; qualitative research |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Dentistry (Leeds) > Dentistry (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (Leeds) > Academic Unit of Primary Care (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (Leeds) > Centre for Health Services Research (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Psychology (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 08 Oct 2015 11:18 |
Last Modified: | 23 Jun 2023 21:50 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00701-015-2515-4 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Springer Verlag |
Identification Number: | 10.1007/s00701-015-2515-4 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:87960 |