Hi everyone, for 5 years I have always had right sided constant burning, deep ache type of pain and in the past 2 weeks on 2 occassions including today on top of the regular pain I am getting what I would call a more sharper, sometimes electric, stab type of pain under my right eye and in my lower lip. I am freaking out! Could my atypcial pain be turning into Typical TN???? Has anyone experienced this after years of atypical pain???
Lori,
I think Rick Smith just asked the same question. He thinks his atypical is turning into typical. Mine was the opposite. I had typical but for the last six months before surgery I got atypical pain.
Liz
hi there,
trigeminal neuropathic pain can sometimes have sharp, fleeting stabs similar to TN. the difference between the two are the stabs in neuropathic pain occur in the same area of constant pain. TN stabs occur in a different area; for example, you touch your nose and your lip stabs. neuropathic pain is characterized by constant, burning and aching pain. i don’t know if this is your type of pain, but it can occur.
also, some people have a thicker coating of myelin of the nerves; typically younger people, which some doctors think accounts for the atypical burning pain versus the electric typical pain. it could be your compression is finally wearing the nerve’s myelin down to where the electric shocks are occurring.
if you haven’t had a thin slice MRI/MRA done, i would advise getting one soon.
the researcher
Hi the researcher,
What you wrote sounds correct. The sharper pain I have experienced has been in the same area as my constant pain and was not triggered by a light touch. I am going to see a neurosurgeon today and it probably is important to note to him that I do not have triggers where as Classical TN does. If I do have TNP (Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain) doesn’t that mean there most likely is not a compression but the nerve is damaged and this happened from a dental trauma or accident? If so, do you know if that would mean I am not a candidate for MVD and this type of pain is harder to treat? This is where it all gets so confusing because in the book “Striking Back” it notes that it is important to differentiate between classical TN and neuropathic pain because they are different. I just get scared because if I do decide to try a surgical procedure and i don’t have a compression I don’t want to make things worse. Thanks so much for writing me this info. It couldn’t have come at a better time. I am going to ask him about what you said with the myelin sheath. That is something I didn’t know. Thanks again!!!
the researcher said:
hi there,
trigeminal neuropathic pain can sometimes have sharp, fleeting stabs similar to TN. the difference between the two are the stabs in neuropathic pain occur in the same area of constant pain. TN stabs occur in a different area; for example, you touch your nose and your lip stabs. neuropathic pain is characterized by constant, burning and aching pain. i don’t know if this is your type of pain, but it can occur.
also, some people have a thicker coating of myelin of the nerves; typically younger people, which some doctors think accounts for the atypical burning pain versus the electric typical pain. it could be your compression is finally wearing the nerve’s myelin down to where the electric shocks are occurring.
if you haven’t had a thin slice MRI/MRA done, i would advise getting one soon.
the researcher
hello,
TNP is the result of an injury to a nerve. in light of any obvious injury; dental work, facial trauma, sinus surgery, constant pain can be of a murkier origin. it still could be a compression. your best shot of seeing a vascular compression is ordering a thin slice MRI/MRA. i have outlined what this entails in a separate post on the forum titled: Know the Basics: MRI Scans.
stay away from destructive procedures.
the researcher
Lori Branco said:
Hi the researcher,
What you wrote sounds correct. The sharper pain I have experienced has been in the same area as my constant pain and was not triggered by a light touch. I am going to see a neurosurgeon today and it probably is important to note to him that I do not have triggers where as Classical TN does. If I do have TNP (Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain) doesn’t that mean there most likely is not a compression but the nerve is damaged and this happened from a dental trauma or accident? If so, do you know if that would mean I am not a candidate for MVD and this type of pain is harder to treat? This is where it all gets so confusing because in the book “Striking Back” it notes that it is important to differentiate between classical TN and neuropathic pain because they are different. I just get scared because if I do decide to try a surgical procedure and i don’t have a compression I don’t want to make things worse. Thanks so much for writing me this info. It couldn’t have come at a better time. I am going to ask him about what you said with the myelin sheath. That is something I didn’t know. Thanks again!!!
the researcher said:hi there,
trigeminal neuropathic pain can sometimes have sharp, fleeting stabs similar to TN. the difference between the two are the stabs in neuropathic pain occur in the same area of constant pain. TN stabs occur in a different area; for example, you touch your nose and your lip stabs. neuropathic pain is characterized by constant, burning and aching pain. i don’t know if this is your type of pain, but it can occur.
also, some people have a thicker coating of myelin of the nerves; typically younger people, which some doctors think accounts for the atypical burning pain versus the electric typical pain. it could be your compression is finally wearing the nerve’s myelin down to where the electric shocks are occurring.
if you haven’t had a thin slice MRI/MRA done, i would advise getting one soon.
the researcher