Each year, thousands of individuals experience facial pain for the first time, and many more continue to cope with this debilitating, poorly understood, and often inadequately treated condition. Recently, I was elected as Chair of the Facial Pain Association’s Medical Advisory Board (MAB), and I realize that the responsibility is an awesome one. As I write this piece, I’m thinking of a woman of advanced age with facial pain, who was seated next to me at an annual meeting probably ten years ago. During lunch, she turned to me and explained that her facial pain had become unbearable during the morning session, and she had taken some medication to help with the pain. Now, she was feeling lethargic and “not myself…doctor, would you be offended if I excuse myself for a few minutes?” She did not return to lunch. I’ve thought of her often. Is she alive today? Did she ever find pain relief? Did she die in pain?

As advisors to the FPA’s Board of Directors and staff, all members of the MAB have been carefully selected to provide expert opinions and guidance for the variety of conditions experienced by those living with neuropathic facial pain. In the coming months, you will witness continued efforts from the MAB to serve you. After admirably serving as MAB Chair for the past 6 years, Dr. Jeffrey Brown, MD, FACS, FAANS will continue to serve patients in his New York office and in a variety of capacities with the MAB. In fact, he has graciously accepted the responsibility of editing this issue of the Quarterly. Dr. Brown, we are deeply indebted to you for past and expected future service to the facial pain community.

When I was a much younger man, I had the pleasure of meeting Claire Patterson, founder of the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association. In those days, she was a constant at the regional and annual meetings. She knew many of the members by name, and she was, as I recall, intensely focused on providing support for the facial pain community and the need for more research monies directed to this “rare” (as designated by the National Institutes of Health) neurological condition. While the organization has evolved considerably over the past two decades, Ms. Patterson’s passion for serving the individual and finding new treatments for facial pain persists within the organization.

We are listening to you, and we need your continued input. Melissa Baumbick (The FPA’s CEO) and I recently reviewed post-attendee comments from the 2022 FPA Conference. We are designing this year’s event (April 28-29, 2023!) in direct response to these comments to best serve your needs and concerns. The FPA is launching a new patient registry to better understand facial pain of all types, which is the result of a great deal of work from international experts. In the next year, you will notice new additions to the MAB team and the implementation of new ideas. We welcome your suggestions and feedback. Finally, I’m humbled to serve in this capacity, and I look forward to a brighter future for facial pain patients.

Very Truly,