So far this morning is a pain-free one. Last evening was a challenge, tho.
I just want to share something I've noticed about the oncoming pain that might help some of you. If I have talked about this before, pls forgive me.
I sometimes have uncontrollable sneezing fits. I have noticed recently that shortly thereafter I will have the onset of TN pain and the sneezing disappears.
Also, I sometimes have un-scratchable scalp itching, and then the onset of TN pain and the itching disappears.
Just something I've noticed that enables me to prepare for TN in ways such as not being away from home, not being in the position to give a speech (I do that in a club I belong to), making sure I take my medicine, that sort of thing. I hope all of you are having as good a day as this has started out for me.
Interesting, I often find that the front of my neck all the way up to the back of my ear gets very tender, as if the glands were swollen, shortly before my worst pain starts. It only occurs on my TN side.
I find that, like Kat, I experience extreme fatigue prior to an attack. I understand why one would suffer that kind of fatigue during an episode of pain. It can be exhausting. Pain is tiring to say the least.
Me too Moose, it can be unbelievable! It starts at the base of my skull, but it radiates! It goes across my shoulder, down my arm, and into my hand. And as I also mentioned, the front on my neck gets very, very tender all the way to my ear. It is honestly a strange combination of being in pain. Of course, then there is the almost constant pressure, burning, aching, pain across my jaw and face that can reach the point where I feel that my face will surely explode. If I didn't have medication, I fear that would never end because that's where I was getting too. At times, it seems like I can actually see it happening in my mind.
Thanks- I've actually noticed "pre-symptoms" as well. I start to notice pain when swallowing that radiates into my head. It generally means it's time for my meds.
I am surprised to see that so many experience prodromal symptoms. Maybe the researchers, if any, should look into this, maybe knowing this could bring better pain control? Or maybe knowing the different prodromes could differentiate among the different places from which the TN pain arises and bring better treatment of the causes? You know, no more mistaken removal of teeth for pain that originates elsewhere, no more decompression surgery when the pain arises from the area at the base of the brain.
►Sean, I never thought of this as a prodromal symptom, but when I start feeling a burning in my face on the TN side, that generally means it is time for my meds. I just thought it was the medicine wearing off, but maybe not.
►Silver Lily, it is interesting to me that you experience a scalp symptom; the occipital nerves (the scalp nerves that bother me) come out of the same place in the brain area (pons) that the trigeminal nerves come from.
