Non-traumatic supraorbital neuralgia: A clinical study of 13 cases

Abstract

Introduction: Supraorbital neuralgia (SON) is an uncommon disorder characterized by pain in the area supplied by the supraorbital nerve, which covers the medial aspect of the forehead, together with tenderness over the supraorbital notch or along the course of the nerve. Few hospital-based series of non-trauma SON have been published. Methods and results: We prospectively analyzed 13 patients (11 females, two males) diagnosed with SON in a headache outpatient clinic over a four-year period. Background pain was mostly dull and of moderate intensity. In addition, nine patients reported sharp, burning or stabbing exacerbations of severe intensity. Eight cases were treated with an anesthetic blockade and achieved complete relief lasting from two to six months. Three patients also received gabapentin, with no or only slight improvement. Conclusion: Non-traumatic SON is an uncommon disorder in our headache clinic. Female preponderance and clinical features are comparable to the data collected in previous studies. A spontaneously remitting pattern is not uncommon, and anesthetic blockades are not always required.