I bit my top lip and now have slight numbness in face, do I have nerve damage?

[PainChic]

Hello,

Due to an awkward sleeping position last night, I have bit my upper left lip bad enough to lose skin off of the inside of my lip and have severe swelling on site (top left lip) and am now suffering from decreased sensitivity and/or slight numbness going up along my cheek bone to about the outer corner of left eye and decreased sensitivity/slight numbness at out end of eye brow down to about the outer corner of my left eye. I only feel pain where I bit through the skin on the inside of the lip.

I am concerned about nerve damage as I already suffer from neuralgia in my neck which occasionally extend down right arm, into hand and less frequently down left arm, into hand. This was due to a work accident in 2002 and has been pretty unresponsive to many, many, many, most attempts to treat.  I also suffer from RSD/CRPS (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) in left ankle which was also due to an accident in 1998.

Since the decreased sensation/slight numbness seems to follow the Trigeminal Nerve's pathway should I be concerned about permanent nerve damage?

[PainChic]

The swelling of my lip has completely subsided however my top left lip still feels like it is coming out of the freezing you would receive at a dental appointment.  The good news is that the decreased sensation that had existed running along the trigeminal nerve (from top of lip to along top of cheek bone to corner of left eye, and above eye starting at mid-brow line and following brow to outer corner of left eye) has almost, if not completely disappeared.
So, I suppose when I see my Pain Doc again I'll let her know about this... I can see it now, she is going to shake her head and...well, I don't really know what she'll say to me.....Hopefully she'll laugh, or at least smile/smirk.....Hopefully....  

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
A permanent nerve damage is less likely due to a lip bite. You need to take some anti-inflammatory medication to aid healing. Apply ice pack. If the symptoms persist or the healing is delayed, then please consult your doctor. Take care!

The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.