Digital screening method using social media advertising for the remote assessment of trigeminal neuralgia

OBJECTIVE: Global trends, such as improving accessibility to healthcare services through the Internet, and the COVID-19 pandemic are among the driving factors in the adoption of digital health. This study hypothesized that digital solutions can reach and gather data from a large number of patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN), a commonly misdiagnosed neuropathic facial pain syndrome, and quickly and fast-track their diagnosis by suggesting them to consult a neurologist. We developed an accessible digital screening tool based on patient symptoms and history to test this hypothesis and used social media advertisement to screen a general population for TN. METHODS: The standard diagnostic criteria, International Classification of Orofacial Pain, for facial pain is digitized as a web-based questionnaire that allows easy access to the evaluation for patients with suspected TN symptoms. Targeted search with relevant keywords and display campaigns on Google search engine and Facebook social media platform were used to reach large numbers of subjects. A report was autogenerated, which included a summary of a subject's symptoms, likely or likely not TN diagnosis, and information to seek appropriate medical assistance. RESULTS: The website was live for seven weeks and generated 240 screening questionnaire submissions, with a total spending of $2482. Forty-four subjects (18.3%) that reported typical symptoms of TN experienced unilateral and episodic pain in one of the trigeminal nerve regions. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated the feasibility of social media advertisement and digitally screening a general population for TN, gathering valuable clinical data, such as pain characteristics, through a web-based questionnaire. Based on these data, patients with similar symptoms of TN are suggested to consult a neurologist for diagnosis. This study provides a framework for using digital screening tools to improve the healthcare experience of patients who would spend several months before finding appropriate diagnosis for their specific conditions.