Cranial Nerve Disorders Center
The Cranial Nerve Disorders Center at UC San Diego Neurological Institute diagnoses and treats conditions involving the 12 pairs of cranial nerves that originate from the brain. Cranial nerve disorders can cause symptoms that are challenging to live with on a day-to-day basis. Some symptoms of these conditions include vertigo, pain, hearing loss, weakness and paralysis.
Led by
John Alksne, MD, our dedicated team of neurologists make sure you feel comfortable while providing you with the latest in advanced and compassionate medical care.
Our program includes a multidisciplinary team of dedicated neurosurgeons and other clinical and research experts from the departments of neurology, neurosurgery and otolaryngology.
The conditions we treat include:
- Acoustic neuroma
- Facial pain (including facial neuralgia, anesthesia dolorosa and trigeminal neuralgia)
- Hemifacial spasm
- Facial palsy
- Geniculate neuralgia
- Glossopharyngeal euralgia
- Occipital neuralgia
- Intracranial hypertension
- Sphenopalatine neuralgia
- Tinnitus
- Torticollis and spasmodic torticollis
- Trigeminal neuralgia
We use the most advanced imaging techniques and technologies to diagnose cranial nerve disorders.
Treatment varies depending on the condition. Our cranial nerve specialists provide nonsurgical treatments including medication, stereotactic radiation, Botox injections, glycerol injections and electrocoagulation.
If surgery is an option for you, our physicians are experts in surgical therapies, including microsurgical removal of acoustic neuromas, singular neurectomy, posterior canal plugging, vestibular nerve section, endolymphatic sac shunt surgery, vestibular nerve sectioning, cochleosacculotomy, labyrinthectomy, balloon compression and gentamicin chemical labyrinthectomy.
Treatment may also be followed by physical therapy and rehabilitation to restore your strength, activity and well-being.
Research
Through our Cranial Nerve Disorders Center, you have access to clinical trials that investigate new therapies and ways for treating cranial nerve disorders.
Resources
Read more on about
symptoms and treatment of cranial nerve disorders.