If it helps just one other person; CBD ointment

My mother has suffered from trigeminal neuralgia (TN) for nearly 40 years. She is now 89. She had the microvascular decompression procedure in Pittsburgh in 1993, which left her pain-free for only eight months, and in 2009 she had the gamma knife procedure at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. The latter procedure lessened the pain and frequency of her attacks for a few years. Because she has been symptomatic for most of the time she has had TN, she has has had to use/try numerous medications - gabapentin, Lyrica, Tegretol, and finally Baclofen. The Baclofen was effective for a number of years but in recent years it has left her nearly lifeless when she's had to take it during an attack. We, meaning her children and her caregiver, had begun giving her only 1/4 of a pill at a time because of the debilitating effects of the medicine. Of course, this meant that her pain was not as controlled as it could have been.

In desperation, my brother brought up the idea to try CBD. I was skeptical, but I consulted the local Palliative Care of Hospice, my mother's medical provider (she was eligible due to having early dementia). The Palliative Care nurse noted that they have had some success with CBD that is available in ointment form, (though with other forms of pain and not TN). I purchased the CBD ointment and the next time my mother had TN pain, the caregiver took a small amount of ointment and rubbed it in thoroughly on my mother's face where she was having pain. Upon being asked about 30 minutes later, my mother reported that she was feeling a bit better. Within two hours she had gotten up from bed. whereas with the Baclofen she was so fatigued all the time that she spent whole days in bed. Mom has had five subsequent attacks of pain in the last several weeks and the CBD ointment was effective each time She has not had to take to her bed with TN since beginning the CBD, and has been free of the Baclofen. There have been no noticeable side effects.

I don't know whether CBD ointment will be effective for anyone else, given my Mom's history of surgeries, different medications, age, etc. But I am posting this in hopes that it will help someone else who has the debilitating pain of TN.

And be assured that this is NOT a plug for any CBD product. That is why I did not mention the brand that we have used for my Mom.

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