Hi my husband has had tn type 1 for over 15 years , diagnosed 11 years ago. I have now developed tn type 2 symptoms , bilateral consistant face pain with stabbing pains in ears, cheeks, jaws and teeth. I have had dental and sinus evaluation and will see a neurologist. What is more frightening is my 12 year old daughter has had a stabbing ear pain on and off for months and has had 10 days of unilateral electric shock type pains around her temple and cheek. She is on the waiting list to see a paed neuro.
Tn has not ruled our life , my husband has flare ups 1-2 times a year lasting about 2 weeks and controlled by tegratol. So while I have lurked around this site and done lots of research and knew about the progressive nature of tn I was never as frighted as I am now. I had thought I would work full time if he was unable to work and support him in any way. My daughter having symptoms has broken my heart how can a beautiful clever girl with a divine singing voice cope with a lifetime of this and how can I care for them when I am also in pain.
Surely the odds of a married couple with no blood link both developing tn and then one of their daughters as well is impossible to calculate. I am hoping and praying to any deity that my daughter and I can be told it is not tn.
There is a little fragmentary data to suggest that TN may be more frequent in families than in the population at large. But I've seen nothing conclusive about it being inherited or occurring in married partners. As for your daughter, let your neurologist guide you, Mum. I've run into a few confirmed cases of TN in two year old infants. There are a couple of articles on the TNA website about these cases. The disorder is treatable by medication in many people, just as seizure disorder is treatable. It's not the end of her world or yours.
I have the perfect answer for your 12 year old daughter as I am a singer/musician and work parttime as a cantor in church. I immediately went to the chiropractor, yes, you need a good one, so he could align all my body parts and calm the nerves. He lasered the nerve endings off the left side of my face because I was nonstop crying the pain was so bad but I never missed work. I took a towel and kept it ice cold to keep pain at bay. I am totally off of pain meds for now but if ever I have a flare up, I can now tolerate the pain. Something to consider, man, wish you could see my chiropractor, he works hand in hand with the medical doctors. Make sure you find one like that. However, get your proper diagnosis first…never make decisions without consulting with the doctors…but I chose chiropractic for myself as my mother has sent me to chiropractors since I was an infant…I would not be walking or sitting today without their aid when I was a baby.
Is it possible that you all have come in contact with some sort of toxin in your home environment? Mold? Or something from work that could have been brought into the home? I know TN can run in families, but I also know that one of the questions my neurologist asked was whether or not I had come in contact with toxins. Hope all works out well for you and that yours is a temporary bump in the road. For that matter, your daughter, too!