I have atypical trigemal neuralgia since January of 2oo5 on the right side of my face. On wednesday January 4, 2012, last week I went to the dentist. I had a tooth worked on the left side of my face. When the dentist gave me the shot I receive 6 consecutivie electrical pinching shocks in a row in my cheek, and somewhat in my front lower tooth as well. I also have some numbness now in that same area, and other teeth issues on the left side. Since the procedure I have had ear/jaw pain. Tooth pain searing burning pain, cold sensivity on said tooth OFF the charts extreme pain!!! How do you know when it is long enough to say to yourself ... it can't be still sore from the dentist working on it.####### How can a shot in the tri nerve trigger bilateral trigeminal neuralgia?!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After seven days, I'd have to say it's likely your Dentist hit a trigger zone with the shots. Let's be clear though: the shot was on the left, but now you have pain on the right cheek and lower teeth, overlaid with numbness?
The ear pain could be either "referred" from the site of the dental insult, or possibly a triggered pain in a different (geniculate) nerve.
I hear of this kind of reaction to dental work in ATN patients often enough to believe there may be some kind of underlying pattern in bilateral pain reactions to dental work. I'm not sure the mechanisms may be, but they could conceivably involve Central Nervous System sensitization of some sort, etiology unknown.
Time to see your neurologist on a "work-in quickly" consult, I think.
Regards, Red
The pain is on the left side the same side the shot was given. My ATN has always been on my right side until now.
I just got back from my neurologist appointment this mornin. He has me on Trileptal now 300 mg twice a day. Along with the others I currently take Effexor 75 mg and Topamax 5o mg twice daily. He has also ordered an MRI with contrast and I am having this done on Friday morning. :(
Min, I am so sorry to hear that you are in such awful pain. It sounds horrendous. While I haven't had the "consecutive electrical pinching shocks" that you experienced during injections, I can tell you that I have always had extremely heightened pain levels following dental work that have lasted for weeks and even months sometimes. When it first started happening, I would panic a bit, thinking things had gotten even worse and perhaps permanently. I learned after a while, though, that the pain always eventually dissipated, even though it took longer than I wanted it to. I always had ear pain with work done on lower teeth as well, which went away over time. I hope that things will calm down for you as well.
It can be disheartening when you are doing something to look after your dental health (which affects your overall health, of course) and something like this happens. I am glad that you have already met with your neurologist and that he is taking some measures that will hopefully help you feel better ASAP.
Please know that I am thinking of you and sending you good thoughts.
Chris
Thanks Chris!
Welp, It's time for me to go back to the dentist. AGAIN!! Unfortunately...I have to get a crown put on the tooth in FRONT of the tooth that caused all this problem for me. BUT THIS time. I am going to be knocked OUT!!! (Deep sigh) Soo...I hope that I don't get any nasty after effects from this procedure.....don't wanna go ...but my tooth needsa fixin...:((