Author(s): JIN Jian-Hui, LIU Yan-Qing
Pages: 837-840
Year: 2017 Issue:  11
Journal: Chinese Journal of Pain Medicine
Keyword:  Blink reflex; Trigeminal neuralgia; Cervical spondylosis;
Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the role of measuring the latency of the blink reflex (BR) in helping diagnosing the secondary trigeminal neuralgia caused by the cervical spondylosis.Methods: Using an electrophysiological approach, 20 patients with trigeminal neuralgia caused by the spondylosis were tested for the BR and the latency of R1, R2 and R2' were recorded and then compared with normal group. Degrees of neuralgic pain were evaluated using the visual analogue scales (VAS).Results: In twenty patients with trigeminal neuralgia caused by the spondylosis, the BR latencies R1、R2、R2'(12.9±0.65、37.69±2.67、38.88±2.74) were prolonged compared to normal people (10.85±0.75、32.3±2.04、33.66±1.92) indicating a conductive obstruction in the left trigeminal nerve (P < 0.05). The BR latencies R1、R2、R2'were shorten than that before treatment.The VAS scores (2.0±1.5) were significantly lower than that before treatment (7.0±2.0,P < 0.05).Conclusion: The BR latencies of BR in patients with trigeminal neuralgia caused by the cervical spondylosis were longer than that in the normal group. This suggests that there might be obstacles in the conduction of trigeminal afferent pathway. The BR examination is of clinical significance in assisting the diagnosis of the trigeminal neuralgia caused by cervical spondylosis.