Nerve pain-HELP!

[Wulf202]

I had something similar when I was young. Anytime I made sudden movements or stepped off a curb I'd have sharp pains in my right upper molars. Went to the dentist and they couldn't find anything but suggested I my have a cyst or something in my sinuses above the tooth.

He had me take sudafed for a couple of weeks and it went away.

[esaabye]

I will buy the 308 to help you out...

The sinus sounds like a good path to check, I get all sorts of pain migration from the sinus issues I have.

[jaydoc1]

Here's a nice list of the most common drugs used in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia:

Baclofen (Lioresal)
Carbamazepine (Tegretol or Carbatrol)
Clonazepam
Gabapentin
Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)
Phenytoin (Dilantin or Phenytek)
Pregabalin (Lyrica)
Topiramate (Topamax)
Valproic acid

And in case those don't work, the common invasive procedures for it's treatment:

Injecting alcohol or glycerol near different portions of the trigeminal nerve to either numb it or damage the nerve and block the pain signals that it has been sending

Injecting a tiny balloon through a thin, flexible tube (a catheter) until it reaches the trigeminal nerve. Once there, the balloon is inflated with enough pressure to damage the nerve and block pain signals.

Sending an electric current into the root of the trigeminal nerve to damage nerve fibers and help control pain. This procedure is called percutaneous stereotactic radiofrequency thermal rhizotomy (PSRTR).

Microvascular decompression (MVD), which relocates or removes blood vessels that are in contact with the trigeminal nerve and separates the nerve and the blood vessels with a small pad. Doctors at the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute's Trigeminal Neuralgia Program perform this surgery endoscopically, which does not damage the nerve and is less likely to cause side effects (such as numbness).

Severing the nerve in a procedure called partial sensory rhizotomy (PSR). While this process is helpful, it almost always causes numbness in the face.

Radiosurgery to damage the nerve and reduce or eliminate the pain. This technique involves sending a focused, intense dose of radiation to the root of the trigeminal nerve. Relief may take several weeks to begin. The procedure is painless and is usually done without anesthesia.


First step? See your doctor.

[bellavite1]

Thank you all.
The doc agreed on my diagnosis and is starting me with 12 advil a day (4 at a time) for a week straight.
We'll see...

[BigBear]

Thank you all.
The doc agreed on my diagnosis and is starting me with 12 advil a day (4 at a time) for a week straight.
We'll see...

Man, hope you get to feeling better... I've had some issues every now and then with pain while I play my trumpet, but nothing that's lasted. Hopefully the advl will help and you won't have to step up to something heavier...

[Roger]

Ask him for a rx for Ultracet. Its non-narcotic. And its easier on your stomach then all that advil.

[Irving]

Sounds like he's trying to keep his liver doctor buddies in business.

[jaydoc1]

Thank you all.
The doc agreed on my diagnosis and is starting me with 12 advil a day (4 at a time) for a week straight.
We'll see...

Advil is great for musculoskeletal pain, not so much for neuritic pain (what you are experiencing). While Advil will certainly be cheaper than what I'm about to recommend, I wouldn't get my hopes up too much. If/once the Advil hasn't worked I would ask him/her about Neurontin and Lyrica. You'll have much better success with them.

This is not a random viewpoint. I'm an anesthesiologist. This is what I do. Good luck. Trigeminal Neuralgia isn't any fun.

[Not_A_Llama]

Advil is great for musculoskeletal pain, not so much for neuritic pain (what you are experiencing). While Advil will certainly be cheaper than what I'm about to recommend, I wouldn't get my hopes up too much. If/once the Advil hasn't worked I would ask him/her about Neurontin and Lyrica. You'll have much better success with them.

This is not a random viewpoint. I'm an anesthesiologist. This is what I do. Good luck. Trigeminal Neuralgia isn't any fun.

It sounds to me like the Doc is going for the anti-inflammatory aspect of the Ibuprofen.

[jaydoc1]

It sounds to me like the Doc is going for the anti-inflammatory aspect of the Ibuprofen.

Obviously that's what they are thinking. And, if the OP is very fortunate (lucky) he will get relief using only anti-inflammatories. The only problem is that anti-inflammatories aren't very effective in treating trigeminal neuralgia. And speaking as a doc who is also a pain specialist, I'm just telling you what works far more often. This is a condition that has periods of flare and remission. It may go away and not recur for months or years. Unfortunately it does recur the majority of the time and ultimately more invasive nerve destruction or surgical procedures are required to alleviate it completely (although there is no guarantee of this).

Additionally, while rare, trigeminal neuralgia can be an indication of a greater problem. Usually it's caused by the rubbing of an artery or vein against the trigeminal nerve. Unfortunately it can be caused by other things which should be investigated if with adequate treatment his pain gets no better or gets worse.

Advil, while fine as a starting point, unfortunately, is not likely to be the answer to this question (completely ineffective in the majority of typical cases). Sorry.

Moving along now.