My problems started 3 months ago with acute electric shock pain which no painkiller could ease. Visited my dentist and emergency dentist who x rayed the tooth but could find nothing wrong. When the right hand side of face started to go numb, my doctor diagnosed trigeminal neuralgia and gave me Tegretol which started working within a day. Yesterday, the filling in my tooth fell out and as this is tooth where the gum is my "tigger point" I was extremely anxious about visiting the dentist. However she did an x ray and the nerve of the tooth has died off so I will need a root canal. I've been getting a tingling sensation around my lips on the right hand side for the last few days too. I am at a loss as to why the tegretol then cured my pain if it was not trigeminal neuralgia. Sorry for long post!
Hi,
My problem started when I was told that my nerve was dying in my lower left molar, the back one. I got two opinions and finally I had the root canal. That afternoon, I was still numb and I knew I had a real problem. The endodonist said all was fine. I have since learned that if he had just given me steroids within the first 24 hours then I would not be in constant facial pain and it is almost 4 years later. My facial pain become severe and I remember one night it creeping up my face and I felt as though my face was made of concrete with skin that could feel over it.
Now, one facial pain specialist tells me that I have a traumatic nerve injury, which will never get worse and may get better and I would say that thanks to Dr. Tom, the acupunturist, up in the Catskills that my face is around 30% better. In general. I had horrific actue attacks with Hurricane Irene's coming but I'm a bit better now.
The neurologist is telling me that I now have TN. I am on trileptal, a low dose, and neurotin, and I get okay relief, nothing near to what I want. Considering trying tegretol but I was on it one day and so dizzy. I almost fell into the parking lot and I was holding my child.
All I can say is that I understand what you are saying. I have been there.
The dental community was beyond rude and kept insisting that facial pain could not be connected with dental work but it is connected. It is. I am living proof of it.
If I can help in any way, please let me know.
My TN started as a result of dental work. I suggest you discuss with your neurologist before you have more work done. You can also visit the Facial Pain Association website and read the information on dentist visits. Hope you are better soon.
M
We've published some information on dental visits here on Living With TN as well -- see the face pain info tab on our menus. One observation, if I may, beyond that: many neurosurgeons will tell you that if your TN began as a consequence of discrete nerve injury such as you have related here, that you might not be a candidate for MVD or any of the other destructive surgeries. The reasoning for that position is that you don't have a compression to relieve, and when the original damage is down in the jaw rather than up near the brain stem, the lesioning process used in the destructive surgeries cannot block the pain cascade -- and may cause even further pain.
So I would suggest that you need to concentrate on medication solutions.
This is exactly what happened to me Vonny! I had an "attack" on the left side of my face...zaps, stretching, felt like someone was inside my mouth ripping my teeth out from the inside..it was horrid. I had many in a row and it was relentlessly painful.
I went to my neuro, he said TN. (I already have pretty bad peripheral neuropathy) He ordered an MRI and I am waiting for the results tomorrow or early next week. He did an MRI/MRA w and w/0 contrast. He put me on anti-seizure meds. I took them for less than a week and they gave me restleg leg...My rheumie (I have systemic lupus) said I only need to take them during TN attacks. After about a week the pain subsided altogether except for a small twitch near my left eye.
About two weeks after the original TN attack a filling dropped out of the tooth on the top left next to a molar. I can feel in it with my tongue, it's completely empty inthe middle.
I then had ten days of wonderful bliss with no pain.
Until NOW. It's back with a vengeance. Now I'm sure IT'S THE TOOTH and not TN or the TN caused the tooth's filling to come off and NOW the tooth is causing pain!!!!! Is this where your at also? INTERESTING, VONNIE,
What do YOU think came first, the TOOTH/TEETH PROBLEMS OR THE TN? And DO WE HAVE TN?
My original attacks are much different than THIS one...Now it's most definitely my tooth where the filling came out because it hurts specifically when you TOUCH the tooth next to the one with the hole in it.
Twinners? HUGS, Julie
Thats awful. I do not know why tegretol works when ur docs its not tn. Someone else might understand the MOA (mechanism of action). …keep me posted on any favorable outcomes. My email
I’m also can be reached at ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
Whoa, I just noticed that my reply got stuck on auto replay about 6 times. How’d that happen? My tn started with oral surgery and stretching of th nerves for too long. I’ve got a weird case but some of you know it. Just keep us posted if anything helps you. Thx. Stay positive and renounce negative thoughts creeping in!
Tinkerbell said:
Thats awful. I do not know why tegretol works when ur docs its not tn. Someone else might understand the MOA (mechanism of action). …keep me posted on any favorable outcomes. My email I’m also can be reached at ttata@bellsouth.net
I hear oftentimes acupuncture can help. I’m willing to try,;(?
janetm said:
Hi,
My problem started when I was told that my nerve was dying in my lower left molar, the back one. I got two opinions and finally I had the root canal. That afternoon, I was still numb and I knew I had a real problem. The endodonist said all was fine. I have since learned that if he had just given me steroids within the first 24 hours then I would not be in constant facial pain and it is almost 4 years later. My facial pain become severe and I remember one night it creeping up my face and I felt as though my face was made of concrete with skin that could feel over it.
Now, one facial pain specialist tells me that I have a traumatic nerve injury, which will never get worse and may get better and I would say that thanks to Dr. Tom, the acupunturist, up in the Catskills that my face is around 30% better. In general. I had horrific actue attacks with Hurricane Irene’s coming but I’m a bit better now.
The neurologist is telling me that I now have TN. I am on trileptal, a low dose, and neurotin, and I get okay relief, nothing near to what I want. Considering trying tegretol but I was on it one day and so dizzy. I almost fell into the parking lot and I was holding my child.
All I can say is that I understand what you are saying. I have been there.
The dental community was beyond rude and kept insisting that facial pain could not be connected with dental work but it is connected. It is. I am living proof of it.
If I can help in any way, please let me know.
Acupuncture does help some people, Tink. At one time the TN Association had video tapes on a presentation given in one of their national conferences, on the subject. There are also articles in their Knowledge Base which you can find by searching. They can be found at http://www.fpa-support.org.
Regards, Red