Neurovascular Orofacial Pain

• Published in: The Journal of the American Dental Association (1939) Vol. 141; no. 9; pp. 1094 - 1096
• Main Authors: Benoliel, Rafael, BDS, LDS RCS (Eng), Sharav, Yair, DMD, MS, Eliav, Eli, DMD, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01-09-2010; American Dental Association
• Subjects: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Dentistry; Drug dosages; Drug therapy; Face; Facial Pain - drug therapy; Facial Pain - etiology; Female; Humans; Medical diagnosis; Middle Aged; Naproxen - therapeutic use; Pain; Prescriptions; Propranolol - therapeutic use; Vascular Headaches - complications; Vascular Headaches - drug therapy; Vasodilator Agents - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0002-8177; 1943-4723
• DOI: 10.14219/jada.archive.2010.0339

Benoliel et al report a case of a 45-year-old woman who reported having episodic pain in the region of the mandibular left molars and angle of the mandible that lasted for hours at a time and occurred several times per week. They made a diagnosis of neurovascular orofacial pain (NYOP). In consultation with the patient's physician, they prescribed 160 milligrams of slow-release propranolol as prophylactic therapy and 725 mg of naproxen sodium as escape medication. Follow-up across the next 16 weeks revealed total resolution of the patient's symptoms. When they attempted to withdraw propranolol, the pain recurred, and they, therefore, reinstituted the propranolol.