Hello all, I am 11 months post op lower jaw surgery BSSO. They broke my jaw and moved it forward to correct my overbite with ortho braces. I am in my 40’s and still have nerve pain. I have had MRI showing scar tissue but they dont want to do a exploritory surgery to search for neuroma on the IAN nerve running through the jaw. So I am being seen at pain clinic now. I have had 2 stellate ganglion blocks that did nothing for the pain. They were thinking it was simpatheticly mediated pain. So since both did not work. I am waiting to see what else can be done. I will not do any nerve destructive procedure, but am wondering if pulsed radiofrequency woulld work. My pain is in one location (burning lower lip and sensitive to chemical stimuli such as chapstick) I also recieved diagnostic block to the mental nerve and it resolved all pain but was only for 3 hours. I dont want to do something that will make things worse so I am being as cautious as I can. As far as I know I would fall under post traumatic trigeminal neurapathy or nerve pain
It sounds like you have a very good handle on what is going on, and post-traumatic trigeminal neuropathic pain sounds correct. Good for you for being patient and not rushing into something you may regret.
I would encourage you to continue to look for answers, not only with a second neurologist, but with other dental or jaw related doctors (I’m not clear on what doctors deal with jaw surgery, etc…). If you are feeling at all frustrated don’t wait, keep looking and asking questions, searching for answers to what is going on. Don’t worry about being a pest, you deserve answers.
There is also a good chance that you will continue to heal even after 11 months. So I would do everything you can to support nerve healing, including a great diet and possibly nutritional supplements (check with your doctor).
Thank you for the reply. The pain doctors are saying they can do the burst type spinal cord stimulator. Dont know what to do its all scary
I DONT MEAN TO BE anything but helpful here, but Doctors dont know what the hell they are doing. This pain and the cure of it is entirely experimentation and I find that dreadful. They promise the world with each prescription or operation and dont deliver. You poor darling. Most of the A+E staff (Drs and Nurses) haven’t go a clue what TN is, let alone how to treat it. So this is you best way or trialing, see what others success are, because Im telling you, Doctors havent got a clue, so they put everyone on hight doses or opiates, that don’t even touch nerve pain. Good luck.