I have posted before on my success with the PainShied, an Israeli ultrasound device.
This time, my TGN was so bad that the PainShield was painful just to wear and apply. The pain was the bad, "tearing" type pain, that would come and go about every 2 minutes. It is as if the pain is causing muscle fibers to spasm or something, they get tired, and then spasm again..
I felt I needed something to bring the pain down to the level that I could use the PainShield. I had not slept for 2 days since the pain was so bad. An elderly relative told me about her "pain pads" that she applies to her back to control pain from osteoporosis and microfractures in her spine. The pads are called LidoDerm pads and contain 5% lidocaine. The are about 6" x 7", but can be cut into smaller pieces. You peel off the back and stick to the painful area for at most 12 hours.
I had a really painful trigger point, so I put a 1 x 1 patch over it and used it for the maximum 12 hours they recommend. The pain was down from a 10 to a 3 or 4 the first night, so I did it again, and it was down to 1 or 2 the next morning. I stopped applying the patch just to see if the pain would creep back. It did, but just a little. So I am waiting to see if it has stopped the outbreak. If not, I will put on the PainShield for a few nights, and that always nukes it.
Let me know if anyone else has tried this. The patches require an Rx, but the pad can be cut into 8 or 10 pieces if you use them only on trigger points. Insurance does not cover the pads except for "post-herpetic neuralgia". I hope this info helps someone.
Yes I am the self professed Lidoderm cheerleader here… I tell every new person here I can catch…my insurance governed it for TN pain… All insurance different…I got my dad to get some for sciatica nerve pain in leg and he is so happy. This is such a great choice for those who can get them. THere is a cheaper lidocaine cream if cost is too high.
Thank you for your reply. It is nice to know that it is not a fluke and that others find it useful. Do you have any suggestions about using it? How often? Where you place it? How big a patch you put on?
Thanks again. SwedeP.
Kc Dancer Kc said:
Yes I am the self professed Lidoderm cheerleader here.... I tell every new person here I can catch.....my insurance governed it for TN pain..... All insurance different.....I got my dad to get some for sciatica nerve pain in leg and he is so happy. This is such a great choice for those who can get them. THere is a cheaper lidocaine cream if cost is too high.
I have to put it diagonal from cheekbone top to near corner of mouth. I cut a pierce off then round the corners off. Then make a little thinner, not so bulky. Probably
Get 4-5 out of each big patch.
Those with larger pain areas…your mileage ma vary LOL
I have issues with it… If I have it on for a couple hrs then have a really chewy meal…it just starts getting loose by mouth…or. If I put lotion or cream on face then later forget I did that…put patch on…slides off!
IF all goes well…up to 12 hrs relief!..cream just doesn’t last as long and strong. But will wear the clear cream out dancing …not patch!
HI Kc: Thanks very much. My trigger points are in the lower jaw mostly, but sometimes also closer to the cheekbone area. Tends to be in certain spots, so I used a square piece of the LidoDerm at those spots.
When I use the PainShield ultrasound gizmo, however, I place the transducer as near as possible to the jawbone line since the vibrations then supposedly radiate along the entire boney area. The ultrasound seems to heal things, sometimes for months at a time, after a few nights of use. Ultimately, I think that some part of the nerve gets irritated by jaw movement (chewing hard stuff, for example), and then I need to heal the damage again.