A New Treatment Option for Laryngeal Sensory Neuropathy

Objectives/Hypothesis: Laryngeal sensory neuropathy (LSN) may produce a variety of symptoms, including chronic cough, globus sensation, odynophonia, and/or odynophagia. Etiologies are often iatrogenic, viral, or idiopathic, although the diagnosis is generally one of exclusion. The aim of this study is to introduce pregabalin (Lyrica, Pfizer Inc., New York, NY) as a potential new therapy for LSN. Study Design: Retrospective clinical investigation. Methods: Charts were reviewed from 12 consecutive patients who were prescribed pregabalin for symptoms of LSN. Outcomes were reviewed by analyzing pre and post-treatment questionnaires asking patients to rate symptoms on a scale from 0 to 5. Adverse effects and evidence of drug tolerance were also recorded. Results: Two patients did not tolerate pregabalin due to somnolence. Of those that tolerated the medication, mean pretreatment chief complaint symptom severity rating was 3.9, whereas mean post-treatment symptom rating was 1.2 after I month of pregabalin therapy. None of the patients developed drug tolerance effects over time. Conclusions: Pregabalin therapy appears to be an effective treatment option for laryngeal sensory neuropathy. Future prospective studies are needed to compare outcomes between pregabalin and other medications as treatments for LSN.