Hi. Has anyone found a good mask for warming pain in the top two branches? My trigger point is in my cheek, but I also have pain along the nerve, round my eye. I have a couple of masks which can be cooled or heated - I find warmth is better - but they don’t really come far enough down my cheek. I do prefer a shaped mask with eye holes, rather than just putting a hot bottle on half my face.
Thought I’d found one at the opticians recently, the photo on the pack looked perfect, but when we opened it, it was much narrower than the picture. Anyone found a good brand - especially in the UK, where I live?
Hi crkenn,
Back in the early, early days (2004) of my TN I used a heating pad when my face needed warmth: I took & plugged in my heating pad everywhere I went: Drs office, restaurants, friends, etc -I never used masks probably bc I couldn’t find a good one. Over the years I finally got on a decent cocktail of meds that does an ok job of controlling my pain and I was able to give up the heating pad. Now I use a scarf to wrap my neck and lower half of my face when I venture outside and indoors when needed, it has helped me 100%. I have about six good hours a day, not everyday, but about 4 out of 7 days isn’t bad. I do what I can in those few hours and the rest has to wait until the next time I feel good enough.
Sorry to read about you dilemma, but also comforted to know that I am not the only one that only has a limited number of “good” hours per day…and then not every day of the week. I have been struggling since 2007 after the monster returned p months after my second MVD and then had a failed Gamma knife -type procedure. Have never tried heat with any success…although one of my branches causes burning pain on the left side of the roof of my mouth, and popsicles do seem to give me some relief for a very short time. I do find myself covering my eye and cheek with a scarf when I go outside and even with my hand when I am reading or watching TV. It seems that very gentle pressure (weight) of my hand is soothing. Such a miserable thing is this TN monster!
I’ve just ordered a TheraPearl face mask - for the whole face, can be used hot or cold. I’ll let you know how I get on.
I cover my face when I’m out with one of those fabric neck tubes pulled up just below my eyes, like a bandit (I’ve tried woolly ones, but they just steam my glasses up, so fabric it is). Works while I’m out, but things blow up when I get home, which is when I’d like the mask to soothe and calm - me, if not the TN…