Have TN, but might have tooth abscess also how do you know?

Brain and nerves
1

I was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia three months ago after having two unnecessary root canals and one of those teeth removed. All of my pain has been in my upper jaw. I’ve been using gabapentin, baclofen and methadone as well as seeing a pain specialist for nerve blocks. I have MS and my TN is atypical because I have a constant aching pain as well as a shooting pain that was happening almost a hundred times a day for about two minutes at a time. It felt like someone was taking a screwdriver and jamming it into my gums as far as they could go and turning it around and around. But the medication really helped as well as the pain blocks and I even had a heavenly if brief period of remissio for six days. Right now I’m very confused.

The pain came back very bad about a week ago, back to about a 7 level. But just in the last three days or so I’ve been having pain in my lower right molar. I’m so confused. I don’t know if it’s my tooth or my TN. I don’t know what to do. When I went to the dentist and endodontist in November, they both were a little unsure it was my teeth but I do have a lot of issues with my teeth so they went ahead and did the work. 

Does anyone have this problem? Where they don’t know if it is TN or actually their teeth? Everything so far has been in my upper right jaw so why would it suddenly start being in my lower right? Also if I push on the tooth it hurts. 

I know. I know. Don’t push on the tooth then, I haven’t been doing it on purpose but if I eat on it or accidentally brush my tongue against it, it hurts. I don’t know what to do. 

I am, of course, going to go to the dentist to see if he sees something for sure, but I’m just wondering how people handle this issue. Sometimes TN can trick us and feel like our teeth. How do we know?

Anyone have a good experience with this?

Thank you.

2

I also keep going back to dentist to be sure it is not my teeth. 

My symptom is severe stabbing pain in left ear. Lately it has morphed into gum pain and sometimes waking up to pain in almost all my teeth. 

Dentist feels the teeth thing is from clenching during the night. Doesn’t know why I have gum pain. Sees nothing.

I have gotten symptoms under control

With 1 Advil 2x s a day and heat on face near ear 3 x a week 1 time a day.

Been to ENT and neurologist

Both THINK it is TN

Will go for a brain scan in March to rule out anything else.

The pain when it happens is so ominous and that is the scary thing to me.

I am thankful that I can control the pain and it is very intermittent at this point in time.

3

Sorry that youre suffering this awful pain....i have only been diagnosed a few weeks..my pain started in my ear and then continued to jaw temple and eye socket......General pain medication was no help at all....although amytriptiline at night did help......there are no words to describe the pain.....visit to dentist and optician showed no cause and Gp said my ear was clear was given tegretol have just upped the dose and thankfully this appears to have done the trick....not sure if i am in remission and how long it will last

4

I have TN since may 2016 it started with feeling pain in all my teeth ruled out teeth is tn thankfully i didnt get any procedures done to my teeth. Regular pain meds do not help TN. I have spasms in ,y face muscles they say from clenching my teeth so I have a muscle relaxant I use every night with my pain meds and I'm am much better. As long as my face left jaw does not get cold I have no pain as pain meds keep it under control. Teeth pain is just the tn affecting that tooths nerve i use the topical stuff like oragel for tooth pain it heps settle down the nerve in the tooth and then it seems to go away. Everyone is different and reacts different with TN it's finding what works for you. I hope this was helpful to you.

5

Hello sorry your suffering so much your neurologist should have you on TN pain killers usually Advil and those drugs do not target nerve pain. The scans only show if you have a tumor causing the problem I had the MVD surgery and they put the deff.on cushion between and bien or artery in July last year it did not work for the pain at all. My Aptiom meds and a muscle relaxant and at night have resolved my pain on a daily basis for now. Unless my face gets cold then I get the pain back I usually apply a small heat pack and it then to help in between pain meds.

There is no cure for TN all meds and surgery options have different results on different people. I don't recommend the surgeries as the highest percentage of success they relapse within a few years again.

Sorry but it's the sad truth for all us suffered if you read all the stories on here it's an eye opener for all procedures that people have tried and their results. It's finding what is right for you so that you can get your life back to some degree of normal. I have not been able to return to work due to my cold air sensitivity ni matter how much i cover my face nothing but a stable heat control keeps me out of pain with the meds. I hope this I do is of some help to you.

6

Hi anyazora, I experimented the exact same symptoms. The pain is bouncing between several teeth and the slightest pressure or trigger on any one of them sets it off. It has also started to hurt my lower back molar and I too had route canal on my upper right.  I haven’t had any blockers or medication beyond carbamazepine which is now ineffective, so whilst I can’t help you I can reassure you that your not alone.

Regards, Martin 

7

Yes for me too. When I finally went to the ER and was shaking with the pain, they gave me Dilaudid. It did nothing. Then they gave me Fentanyl (which I think is the strongest opiate), it also did nothing. I was hospitalized because there were things going on when they did my blood test (I can’t remember the specifics right now) and to find a way to help the pain and they increased the tegretol which my neurologist had just started wondering f if it was TN. It took about eight  days not when it started working it was wonderful. It brought my pain down from a 10 to a 7. But then it caused low sodium. I had a follow up blood test when I was released and my sodium was 120. My PCP called and said you have to go back to the hospital right away. I had been there for eight days. I so didn’t want to go back. Then they cut my tegretol in half. I begged in tears for them at least to try cutting it only 1/3. And so far that’s worked. And the added gabapentin, baclofen and methadone has brought the pain down to a 4 -5 generally. But I’m trying to find another way to handle the TN so I can stop taking the medications especially the methadone.

8

Thank you so much. Yes, this is why I’m wondering if my bottom tooth is actually a tooth issue and not TN. When I push it m, it hurts. The pain in my upper jaw where the TN is doesn’t change if I press on the teeth at all.

9

Ibuprofen does nothing for my TN and my understanding is regular pain medications don’t do anything Bc it is nerve pain. That is why when they gave me fentanyl in the ER, it didn’t help my TN pain.

10

I am so glad you found a way to deal with your pain. Interesting that you brought up Oragel because I saw a pharmacologist today and he gave me a gel to rub on my trigeminal nerve. It’s supposed to numb it and help with the pain. I still need to go to the pharmacy and get it but I’m really hopeful it willl help.

So you have pain on both sides of your jaw and upper and lower? Wow that’s rare isn’t it.

I’m so glad you found relief!!! I hope it stays that way.

11

When I replied before I think I replied to the wrong one or I’m new to this site and not sure how the replies work so I apologize.

But I just saw that you had the MVD surgery and it didn’t work. I’m so sorry that s awful. Do you mind me asking what causes your TN if you know? Also do you think the failure to your MVD was because of the surgeon or just the sad fact it didn’t work for you? I’m glad you’ve found a way to be semi comfortable but I’m so sorry your life is restricted the ways it is.

I understand. Bc the tegretol messes with my sodium and can cause seizures, I can’t drive. I’m reliant on other people for getting to appts, taking my daughter to school, getting groceries... so many things. It’s winter so I cant really go outside. 

I was so active four months ago and now I see no one because talking makes it so much worse. I save all my talking for my 7 year old and that is still hard.

I’m trying to be positive or deal with it and hope for better in the future but honestly right now I feel like it sucks and my life was ripped from me. I’m 44 and it’s like I’m a hermit. A hermit whose also in pain. And can only eat mushy food and restricted to 43 ounces of water Bc of the sodium issue.

What do you guys do when you feel so down?

12

Try the Turmeric & see if it takes the pain away.  TN gives you symptoms of teeth problems. Don't get dental work done unless your sure it's the problem. Also use sensitive tooth paste. You can get it at the dollar tree.

13

I read about the heat and Aleve on another sight.

it took about a week to get it under control. I was willing to try anything .

as I said, mine is very intermittent so I am thankful for that.

14

Hello,

As I have not yet been fully diagnosed with TN,  though I have my first Neurology Appointment next week Tuesday, But my symptoms are of TN1 as the location of my flares only occur on the left side of my face, the source of the pain would be coming from my top left side of my jaw - my gums to be exact and so I do know how you feel and of how you mean, when you touch your gums and you feel pain, but the funny thing is with me..

There are times, I will touch my gums and it will be in excruciating pain and another time, I will touch it again and there is no pain at all which is out of it and because, now the flares are more frequent than it was a couple years ago when I first started to get little symptoms to warn me of what it may become.

As I did my very own personal research on Google and the first time, I told my doctor that it was TN and he disagreed and had me to take a visit to the dentist, had X-Rays and a CT Scan done on me and it was ruled out that the issue was not dental at all,

BUT... Of my 10 years of having dental procedures on and off, I personally do believe it, that may have played a factor of how thzones e TN flares may have been triggered and this is of my personal description of the pain I endure everyday non-stop:

Location: Maxiillary V2 Area: My facial zones area of trigger: Provides sensation to the cheek, upper lips, gum, roof of mouth, side of nose, upper teeth and lower eye lid.

* Uncontrollable facial twitching

* Short and mild attacks with periods of remission in between

*  When the flare occurs, the pain comes in repeated waves from my gums up to my face  and towards my eye

* Brief instances of intense pain

* I get an unbearable, heavy, dull, intense, cluster-like headache as it occurs when I wake up from sleeping

* Lying down is a no-no for me as it triggers my flare episodes

* Intermittent twinges of mild pain lasting for a few seconds to several minutes and will occur about 6-8 to 10x a day and when I was on Lyrica, it went down to 4-6x a day, but the pain was still there.

* Severe episodes of searing, shooting, jabbing pain that feel like electric shocks that usually awakens me during my night's sleep or even when I wake up early hours of the morning to go to the toilet.

* Sudden attacks of pain triggered by stimuli that are usually not painful such as touching the face, chewing, talking, brushing the teeth and even the brushing of cold air near the face area.

So, Yes! These are of my own personal symptoms of what I have learnt are of TN1  and now I need to have a MRI to fully see what is happening with my nerval system.

Other than that, I do apologise for going on n on.. I do hope it does get better for you and that you can find ways to get better as I hope to do the same with my well-being.

All the very best and hold your head high, by staying strong!!

 

15

Hello again

Thanks for your reply it took me awhile to figure out this site too, I have not been on long either.

My MVD surgery was of successful and I am always looking for alternatives to the pills as they do make life difficult in my life my friends come visit me as I am alone my partner could not deal with this pain or understand it. Before my surgery I worked from home but when I got the surgery it has done so other damages to my brain as well and my job will not let me work from home or come back to work u til I am 100 percent cured lol not possible for TN. I am lucky to have a good health plan and I am on long term disability for next 2 years then I'll be 65 then it is cut off. It is like a roller coaster ride your up a ddown with emotions some drug related , stay in touch with friends have movie nights or girls night friends with kids well then everyone has fun. Try to stay positive take 1 day at a time. I am also going for counselling this helps a lot to have someone to talk to. I have my dog who I haven't been able to take for walks or runs since may 2016 but she has become like a service dog as my memory has been affected she reminds me to fed her and tells me when she needs to go out and we play indoors to make up for not walking. I love her dearly! I have my gardens in the backyard and look forward to spring I cover my left jaw I get creative I wear winter headbands on my face they are the perfect size so if there is a breeze it helps to keep me out of pain. I look forward to going away somewhere warm for a bit soon that usually helps with the cabin fever. I am now doing art didn't know I had it in me and I look at my life differently now I tell myself I have retired early and now everyday is mine and focus on what makes me happy! It helps bring me out of those down times. I force myself to keep in touch with friend's and family otherwise they then to get busy and forget you. Keep connections as long as you can see someone other than your child to help you deal with the lows that is half the battle.

I felt like a recluse for the first year did a lot of crying about what I couldn't do now I focus on what I can do.

Keep trying things to keep you out of pain you take charge of what happens go your body what meds work what doesn't keep a journal of meds and appts because sometimes the meds make it hard to remember things lol

I wish you all the best ask me any questions you need to know, we are all here to Help!😊

16

That’s interesting that the pain you are having wakes you up. I thought that was the only blessed part of TN I could sleep soundly through the night and read that was others. Experience as well. It’s makes me wonder why they can’t replicate that. Somehow. For the day to get rid of the pain. 

I’m sorry your pain is waking you up.

And I guess I should have been clearer it’s not the pain in my Lower tooth that is the main problem. I can handle the Magnitude of that.  It is the worry that it is infected and will need a root canal bc the neurosurgeon, pain doctor and then the oral surgeon said DO NOT get an implant where you had the tooth taken out. The oral surgeon said no implants, no pulled teeth, no root canals.

So I just don’t know right now what is an actual tooth issue and what is my TN as I keep saying. Sorry for repeating myself.  It’s just that when the pain was horrendous in November and it was happening around a hundred times a day, I thought it was my teeth.

Just still seems strange it would all of a sudden jump from, upper jaw to a localized place in lower jaw as well.

i did make a dental appt today. I won’t get anything done unless he can prove it and will probably get aa. Second opinion. But if he sees nothing then i guess I have my answer.

you guys are wonderful. Ty for all the responses.

17

Thankyou😊 When I started getting warnings of what it became, I took frequent visits to the dentists as well thinking it was dental pain and this happened like 3 years ago and I could remember vaguely that it was Christmas day and I drove myself to the public ER in the city which was 40 minutes away. Even the dentists were stumped as they didn't know what was causing me to get this pain as they found no evidence on the x-ray results. After that, I went on my way.

After that period of myself exeriencing such pain, I had more dental procedures done on me by having a root canal but the pain was still there and the dentist suggested that it would be a nerval system issue not dental, from then on within the span of 3 years, that is when it all became clear of what I have as I know deeply in my heart, its what I truly have and of what the Neurologist will tell of me that I do have TN 1😢

18

I also thought my pain was from my teeth. I had a root canal & then had 2 teeth pulled.  BIG MISTAKE, for me any way! Warm salt water is a natural antibiotic. If you swish this around in your mouth if may help. Praying you get relief! 

19

Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I so relate to the cabin fever. I’ve been wanting a dog for so long. Ive always had one. When I was born pretty much up to two years ago. But I don’t feel like I can care for it yet. But I know it would be a therapy dog just by being a dog lol. They are all love and just want to be with you. One day, I hope.

20

I truly hope that you don’t have it and you have something that is treatable. It sounds like you’ve been on a long road.  I wish you the best.