Hello,
has anyone ever heard of a case when nerve block shots caused nerve damage? My trigeminal neuropathy did not start until I received nerve block shots in three places for pain in my jaw. Looking back, I realize that the jaw pain was only muscular.
Also, does anyone work full time with this disorder? I am so fearful...going back to work for the first time since this has worsened.
Third question: has anyone's TN crossed over to the other side of the face?
yes, i received a lidocaine nerve block which damaged my nerve. i now have trigeminal neuropathic pain.
what are your pain symptoms? where on your face were the injections given? do you know what level of solution Lidocaine was used? mine was 5%, very high.
vesper
Mine was also very high, but I can’t remember the exact dosage. She used Marcaine, and the shots went in right below my cheek bone, below the temple, and in the middle of the jaw. Before those shots, I had mild nerve pain under my tongue.
I HATE the doc who gave me those shots. She acted like I was crazy when I told her the shots caused me more pain. I feel like suing her because she never told me that my whole face would “fall” like I had bell’s palsy. I had to take my kids trick or treating that night. I would have never had those shots. She also never gave me a document to sign, which would have told me the possible side effects.
My pain is getting worse…little stings, aching, jabs, burning…I can’t believe it’s happening, and I am freaking out. I recently had two root canals and THAT made things worse. I thought perhaps it would help. HA. Nothing is helping. I am on 1,800 mg. of neurontin, 200 mg. of lamictal. Why don’t the medications work?
I am starting work in a couple of weeks…I am a teacher 
What are your symptoms? Are you taking meds?
vesper venustas said:
yes, i received a lidocaine nerve block which damaged my nerve. i now have trigeminal neuropathic pain.
what are your pain symptoms? where on your face were the injections given? do you know what level of solution Lidocaine was used? mine was 5%, very high.
vesper
Hello Jean,
I’ve had the nerve blocks done twice, both times were done in an emergency room situation, both times the pain went away for me for many hours so I counted them as successes. In TN, the nerve damage already exists - as my dr explains it, and for me I guess I had successful procedures as both times the nerve blocks helped me get relief from unstopping attacks that were rated over 10/10 at the time and as no opiods are going to help, the nerve block is the only answer for me in that scenario.
I’ve also since had pulsed radio frequency treatment on each side of my face, that also involves needles through the jaw directly through into the trigeminal ganglion. I was told I’d get 3 months relief, I got 5 months so that too, I counted as another success. I’m booking in to have that done again, that procedure has the possible side effect of semi-permanent facial numbness, but it’s something I’m willing to risk to rid myself of the pain. As I write this my pain is already now at a decent 8/10 and my head wants to explode…
I am terribly sorry to hear you felt more pain after a nerve block than before, I hadn’t heard of a bad nerve block till now.
I have bilateral tn, that means it’s on both sides for me. My attacks defy the bilateral description that says attacks will happen only on one side or the other at any given time. My head doesn’t act that way. It can be that way, or it can, like now - happen on both sides at the same time.
I have had TN for over 20 years progressively getting worse for me, it began just on the right hand side, but in 2006 it became bilateral. I wouldn’t say it “crossed” to the other side as it’s a separate nerve system, two distinct branch pathways variating from the brain stem. One t nerve going left, the other right.
Also, I have not been able to work for the past 3 years and I’m on disability. I am sorry I cannot answer or help with the question of returning to work, for as yet - I’ve not been able to do so.
Jean have you had an MRI of your head done yet? Have you spoken with your Neurologist and maybe a Neurosurgeon to discuss your options going into the future?
Cheers ~ Kerry.
“Wishing us all pain free days”
Jean,
I’ve posted before that I suspect they may have caused my atypical pain because that pain started within 2 days of receiving my first shot. But then again I’ve read that long standing TN can lead to atypical type pain. But it has always seemed to coincidental to me. I also have pain on my left side in the same areas as my right side. My left side pain started after my right side pain became worse so that was about 3 l/2 yrs after my TN began.
Liz K.
Hi Kerry (and all),
I have seen three neurologists, and I saw them when the pain was fairly minimal. I had an mri done, and I know that I don’t have MS (at least that’s what the mri showed at the time). They were reassuring, “You have atypical facial pain.” “This is not trigeminal neuralgia.” I am not having knock me out pain, but it’s bothersome and I am afraid of it. The thing that worries me is that it is getting worse. It also crosses over at some places…my eyes are both effected.
I am sometimes unspeakably afraid…not able to comfort myself in any way. This is such scary stuff.
The neurologist gave me neurontin, and I am taking 1,800. I really believe that I have trigeminal neuropathy, but I am not sure.
If I do have trigeminal neuropathy, then I am wondering what I can do for myself. There really aren’t any surgeries…I am going to an accupuncturist, a massage therapist, etc. etc. This will cost me a fotune.
Anyways, I have three children. I refuse to give up because my love for them is so strong. My husband listens to me all the time, and I can tell he’s annoyed with me a little.
What have you all done to cope with this?
Kerry said:
Hello Jean,
I’ve had the nerve blocks done twice, both times were done in an emergency room situation, both times the pain went away for me for many hours so I counted them as successes. In TN, the nerve damage already exists - as my dr explains it, and for me I guess I had successful procedures as both times the nerve blocks helped me get relief from unstopping attacks that were rated over 10/10 at the time and as no opiods are going to help, the nerve block is the only answer for me in that scenario.
I’ve also since had pulsed radio frequency treatment on each side of my face, that also involves needles through the jaw directly through into the trigeminal ganglion. I was told I’d get 3 months relief, I got 5 months so that too, I counted as another success. I’m booking in to have that done again, that procedure has the possible side effect of semi-permanent facial numbness, but it’s something I’m willing to risk to rid myself of the pain. As I write this my pain is already now at a decent 8/10 and my head wants to explode…
I am terribly sorry to hear you felt more pain after a nerve block than before, I hadn’t heard of a bad nerve block till now.
I have bilateral tn, that means it’s on both sides for me. My attacks defy the bilateral description that says attacks will happen only on one side or the other at any given time. My head doesn’t act that way. It can be that way, or it can, like now - happen on both sides at the same time.
I have had TN for over 20 years progressively getting worse for me, it began just on the right hand side, but in 2006 it became bilateral. I wouldn’t say it “crossed” to the other side as it’s a separate nerve system, two distinct branch pathways variating from the brain stem. One t nerve going left, the other right.
Also, I have not been able to work for the past 3 years and I’m on disability. I am sorry I cannot answer or help with the question of returning to work, for as yet - I’ve not been able to do so.
Jean have you had an MRI of your head done yet? Have you spoken with your Neurologist and maybe a Neurosurgeon to discuss your options going into the future?
Cheers ~ Kerry.
“Wishing us all pain free days”
Hi Liz,
I am not sure I understand. You say that you TN turned into atypical Facial Pain after the shots. Isn’t this a GOOD thing?
Liz K. said:
Jean,
I’ve posted before that I suspect they may have caused my atypical pain because that pain started within 2 days of receiving my first shot. But then again I’ve read that long standing TN can lead to atypical type pain. But it has always seemed to coincidental to me. I also have pain on my left side in the same areas as my right side. My left side pain started after my right side pain became worse so that was about 3 l/2 yrs after my TN began.
Liz K.
jean,
atypical facial pain is no better or worse than trigeminal neuropathic/neuralgic pain. specifically, AFP is simply a wastebasket diagnosis when either:
a) an uninformed physician thinks your pain is psychological
b) an astute physician acknowledges your pain does not fit neatly into one diagnostic box
there is medical literature of dental patients who, after an injection injury, do report neck/throat pain. also, according to research, there can be “cross talk” in which the other sensory nerves can become hyperexcited in the cranium due to injury or vascular compression.
i am not a doctor. speak to your own neurologist/physician about what i’ve said here. hopefully you can start to get some answers.
good luck,
vesper
Jean Mikhail said:
Hi Liz,
I am not sure I understand. You say that you TN turned into atypical Facial Pain after the shots. Isn’t this a GOOD thing?
Liz K. said:Jean,
I’ve posted before that I suspect they may have caused my atypical pain because that pain started within 2 days of receiving my first shot. But then again I’ve read that long standing TN can lead to atypical type pain. But it has always seemed to coincidental to me. I also have pain on my left side in the same areas as my right side. My left side pain started after my right side pain became worse so that was about 3 l/2 yrs after my TN began.
Liz K.
Nancy,
Do pray. But maybe yours will not progress. I had 3 l/2 good years before mine became uncontrollable. And I know there are a lot of people out there who are doing well. I hope you are one who doesn’t get any worse.
Liz
Nancy Price said:
I work. I don’t think my TN has procressed as far as some of the people here. I am sure it will. I just plug along. Oh, aand pray
Hello Vespar,
My husband and I were reading about Bell’s Palsy and how after Bells, sometimes the nerves attach to other nerves in a disorganized fashion, so that chewing can make tears come, or smiling can cause an eye to close. When I had my nerve block shots, my face completely fell, and I could not close my eye. The effect of the shots lasted for about 13 hours. I couldn’t lift my eyebrow, etc.
What’s sad, too, is that the area above my lid hangs over my lid and makes my eye look lower on that side. If I consciously hold it up, I can do so, and then it will stay up without my straining to hold it up (never thought an eyelid would feel so heavy!)
I would think the trigeminal neuralgia would be more horrible than atypical facial pain (?) You wrote that you didn’t think one was worse than the other.
Anyways, thanks for your response. I have had a muscle relaxer and I feel sleepy, so I won’t correct for errors!
Jean,
I began to have atypical symptoms right after my nerve block but I continued to have horrific typical pain. The MVD took care of most of my typical sharp, electric, and stabbing pain. So I consider my MVD a success although it isn’t considered successful because I take so much medicine. But the meds control most of my pain which is mixed, both typical and atypical pain. So my pain didn’t turn into atypical; atypical pain was added to my typical after my first nerve block. But the nerve blocks weren’t all bad. I think they did give me a little relief but not much. And I want to make it clear that I’ve read where those with long standing typical pain can start to have atypical pain. So it may have been coincidental. I just suspect nerve blocks caused by atypical pain.
Liz
Jean Mikhail said:
Hi Liz,
I am not sure I understand. You say that you TN turned into atypical Facial Pain after the shots. Isn’t this a GOOD thing?
Liz K. said:Jean,
I’ve posted before that I suspect they may have caused my atypical pain because that pain started within 2 days of receiving my first shot. But then again I’ve read that long standing TN can lead to atypical type pain. But it has always seemed to coincidental to me. I also have pain on my left side in the same areas as my right side. My left side pain started after my right side pain became worse so that was about 3 l/2 yrs after my TN began.
Liz K.