No evidence of dental cause of facial pain...

[Fluffysmom]

OK, I saw my dentist last night.  She is awesome; very thorough and caring.

She tapped on teeth, had me bite down on something, and then shot some liquid nitrogen on a Q-tip-like thing and touched each tooth to test it's cold sensitivity.  That's not a good memory; it flared things up again so my upper jaw on the left side felt like it was glowing.  Luckily, it didn't last too long.

She had her assistant take some X-rays while she finished up with another patient.  When she came back, she examined them carefully.  Other than the incidental  fact that I have two teeth whose roots are sort of crossed instead of going straight up, there was no evidence of anything being wrong with my teeth.  The bones looked good, no cavities or cracks, etc.

She said that she couldn't say for 100% certain that there was no dental issue; there could be a root that is flaring up and causing pain to refer, that isn't bad enough to cause an abscess or anything really obvious on exam.

She said that was unlikely, considering how long I've been having pain, and to have my neurologist call her so she can explain her findings.  She said that when she has results such as mine, she thinks in more of a global manner than a dental issue manner; that the pain is coming from somewhere else besides my teeth.

She mentioned Trigeminal Neuralgia before I did, and seemed very pleased that I understood and was able to communicate clearly rearding that and my dry mouth issues.  She said "Aha" when I told her that I had a lesion on my pons, and explained where that was to her assistant and why it could be relevant.

Funny thing; she said that she wished she could have seen me when it was really flared up and painful, so she could see how I tested then.  Yeeesh!  I refrained from saying that it's too bad they couldn't fit me in when I first called, as it was pretty bad then.

I called and left a message for Dr.Y. (MS neuro) this morning.  The receptionist was VERY sympathetic when I told her I was calling because of possible Trigeminal Neuralgia.  She wrote a note to go in my chart, then put me through to Dr. Y.'s voice mail.  

I'll be keeping my phone close at hand today.  I have physical therapy at noon; hopefully Dr. Y. won't call then.

I'm pleased that the pain isn't much today.  It's almost 11 am and I haven't eaten yet.  My roommate suggested I go on a liquid diet after she watched as I took almost an hour to eat a tofu and veggie stir fry at the Wok Inn, a few doors down from my dentist. She finished hers (with shrimp, too) long before I did mine.   :o)

Kathy

[wonko]

Kathy,

I can't offer much, but if misery loves company, I'll pull up a chair!

Back in Dec. I was getting sharp pain at one tooth that went down to the jaw in shocking waves.  I won't lie, I went years without dental coverage and also have a phobia, so I thought it was catching up with me!

I got in and had it looked at, and x-rayed.  While I do have a tiny cavity, it's not on the same tooth and the dentist said there is no way I could be feeling that cavity, as it was not near the nerve.  I felt very silly, I had been rushed in as an emergency case!  Five minutes and some x-rays later, I was out the door!  

Since then the tooth pain comes and goes, but I've done what I can to ignore it.  Thankfully, it hasn't been that active in the last few weeks.

I get other "weirdness" in my mouth/face, like tingling gums in the upper left, and burning in my cheeks, stabbing ear pain, and lots of painful/freaky cranial symptoms.  Since on antibiotics for my Lyme and co., my face is also more prone to lighting up like a big red rubber ball.  (I have a full face, so think "Human dodgeball!")  It cracks me up, people comment on "how good" my color is.  I tend to keep to myself that it's a raging infection, and not a beauty secret!

If even tofu is too firm to take, then they better figure this out for you!  If you do continue to have a lot of trouble eating, maybe consider a liquid nutrition replacement in the meantime.  One I've been subjected to when necessary is called "Ensure," they have it at all the drugstores and grocery stores 'round me.  I hate the stuff, but it helps if you can't eat normally.

[Fluffysmom]

Hi there!

The tofu was nice and soft, it was the carrots, broccoli, onions, water chestnuts and other veggies that took me a while.  Since the pain is on my left side, I have to take small bites and chew on the right side, which can take a while.  

The Wok Inn is one of those places where you pick what you want out of a salad-bar type area, then take it to the counter and they stir fry it for you.  I liike it 'cause I can get lots of my beloved veggies.  They have some good hot and sour soup, too.

Have you read anything about Trigeminal Neuralgia?  If you have pain that bad, it could get worse if you don't have medicine to treat it when it flares up; something about opening up the pain pathways or something much more scientific sounding than that.

I always can find a way to eat, tee hee.  I was feeling quite a bit better today, and ate quite a bit of frozen yogurt while watching a movie.  I was fine while I was eating it carefully on the right side of my mouth, but a few minutes after I finished, when I was driving down the freeway, the pain hit again like a sledge hammer.  It let up after about 15 minutes, and hopefully I'll have enough sense to eat only small amounts of fro-yo in the future.

Human dodgeball, too funny!  My face has been flushing lately, I'm thinking mine is from the Provigil I've been taking.  It does look healthier than the palid grayish look I get when I'm totally fatigued, so I'll take it.  

I think I'd prefer Slimfast to Ensure.  Try it if you need to go liquid sometime.  The cappucino flavor is pretty good, and I like the deep chocolate or whatever its called; not the milk chocolate.  When I was consuming caffeine, I'd make an iced latte using Slimfast for breakfast.  Sigh, my espresso machine hasn't been used in a year!

[Udkas]

Hi there,
You poor thing, I had trigeminal neuralgia once and it was the most awful thing I have ever had.  I'm usually tolerant of pain but this took the cake.  I hope you hear from your neuro or any doctor soon.

Funny I went to the dentist too and they couldn't find anything wrong...

I had to have tegretol and anti depressants for the pain, I was unable even to talk, which was a god send for lots as usually I don't shut up..lol  as soon as I moved my facial muscles it hit, I was unable to go out in the wind or anything... I laid in bed for days, but I think that was the drugs too....lol

Good luck, I hope you get some relief soon.
Cheers,
Udkas.