A method is provided for the suppression or prevention of pain, movement
disorders, epilepsy, cerebrovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, sleep
disorders, autonomic disorders, urinary bladder disorders, abnormal
metabolic states, disorders of the muscular system, and neuropsychiatric
disorders in a patient. The method comprises positioning at least one
electrode on or proximate to at least one of the patient's sphenopalatine
ganglia ("SPG"), sphenopalatine nerves ("SPN"), or vidian nerves ("VN"),
and activating the at least one electrode to apply an electrical signal
to at least one of the SPG, SPN, or VN. In a further embodiment of the
invention used to treat the same conditions, the electrode used is
capable of dispensing a medication solution or analgesic which is applied
via an electrode to at least one of the SPG, SPN, or VN. A method is also
provided for surgically implanting an electrode on or proximate to at
least one of the SPG, SPN, or VN of a patient.