I have noticed, since I serve tables some days, that when I bend over to pick something up off the floor and the blood rushes to my face it can bring on pain. I have also noticed that when the sun is directly on my face on the TN side it is also a trigger. It is pretty cold here and a think it may be the sudden change in temp. I can just be sitting here typing and it comes on too. I am trying to see if I am just grasping at things just to have answers.
Bending over has always been a trigger for me. I haven’t noticed the sun, but for sure extreme cold and wind are both triggers for me. I have a whole long list of things I know/think set the horrible pain off! I still feel crazy and like I’m just grasping and its been almost two years and I’ve had two mvd surgeries now.
Bending does in deed causes pain, also when I am cutting vegetables, or using the can opener, anything that causes me to apply pressure with my right hand sets off pain, the last couple of days I am experiencing pain doing things that I have done in the past with no pain at all ..... but now everything I do is giving me pain, I was drinking water out of a bottle got pain, threw my head back while taking my pills, got pain, shampooing and combing my hair got pain, cutting my nails with a clipper caused pain, I was sitting by the fire place adding logs the heat only brought on pain, as of lately I noticed I have to stay away from spices, even garlic and onion and the list goes on.
You do have your own way and tricks to get around some of the pain BUT you do run out of the tricks after awhile.... you are suppose to stay calm and not stress out, yeah right.
No doubt TN is very exhausting ..... I get so PO that something can't be done, everything is experimental, not enough research, no one knows what the hell is going on ...... TN is suppose to be the most painful disease know to man kind, I think there should be more awareness about it, just like cancer .... seems like if you don't have it then you don't care, sad but true.
Hi Jess,
If your TN pain is caused by a compressed nerve by the artery (which is what I had prior to MVD), anything which would cause more blood to flow through the artery, or increased blood flow, might cause the pain. My neurosurgeon told me the reason I was getting painful ongoing spasms when I was nervous or angry, was because of the increase of blood flow causing the artery to compress the nerve more. Could also be when the sun is directly on your face causing the same reaction........
i don't know, I'm no medic. I'm just thinking that it might be the same as with me...? I remember grasping at anything that would give me an answer. It's good to consider all possibilities...
Thank you all for making me not feel crazy. I do love this site, it keeps me sane. I did have a MRI with and without contrast and they see nothing. But when I get stressed or angry it is definatly a trigger. I have read that stress is not a factor, but I beg to differ. Red just posted an artical on how it can be. I respect his opinion, so if he thinks its worth reading it must be. And Marcy, I have thought that all along. If it is the 2nd worst pain known to man then yes, you would think they would have more knowledge on it. It is a shame that we go into doctor after doctor only to hear that "we don't know alot about it" or to be refered to dentists or psychologists. We are not imagining this pain nor do we need 6 root canals. I am glad to see that we have advocates on our side and that we have got a ribbon now, YEAH! We are on the right track I think.
Bending over does that to me sometimes too. And sometimes if I have my head turned a certain way and start to talk, it will trigger it........how weird is that?
I have a whole long list of triggers too and bending over or down is a definite. Also direct sunlight on my face. It’s all very tricky and also unpredictable.
I get the can opener trigger:) I can’t get near a hot stove and am triggered with my hands in hot water. And yes, the weirdness of being able to talk one moment and not the next.
Stress for sure. My tolerance for certain situations has plummeted in the past couple of years. My best bet is to breathe consciously and try to slow down my reactions to whatever is happening.