Diagnosed with trigeminal nerulgia

[John Roberts]

I have posted on here quite a few times since 11/18/16. I have been having trouble with all my teeth hurting. I guess the top and lower front the worst though. I have been to countless dentist, several general practitioner doctors, ent, oral surgeon, and a few more I can't think of. None of the dentist had any idea what was wrong or if they did they didn't say. One of the dentist did want to do tens type therapy and a 6,500 orthic type device but didn't really say what was wrong. The rest of them gave me no clue. I finally went to a neurologist. He said it was in my nerves and diagnosed me with trigeminal neuralgia. I don't necessarily think I have the symptoms some people have but I am sure it is some type of neuralgia. He is having a MRI on my head and spine. I have been having a lot of neck, teeth, eyes and some facial pain but my teeth bother me the most. He has me on a anticonvultant type medicine. He said the dentist couldn't do me any good. I am just glad I didn't start having root canals, fillings replaced and such. He basically said I am subconsciously changed my bite because the pain in my teeth moves around and it does. I would just say that if anyone is having trouble with all their teeth and the dentist can tell you anything you may want to see a neurologist. All my trouble started after a cleaning and fluoride treatment at the dentist.

 

[MattKW]

Sometimes it's the other way around. Patients have gone to GPs, hospitals, neurologists, and it turns out to be dental. I hope you are finally getting better.

 

[Busybee]

The trigeminal nerve does feed into most areas of the jaw, sinus and TM joint and eye socket so if you have a problem with it you can be sure to feel pain in similar areas to dental pain. Even if they work out what's causing it doesn't mean it's easy to treat. But they can at least help you with pain management.

 

[John Roberts]

Matt. If it is or was dental you would think one of the dentist I have been to would be able to figure it out. I think I have been to one of every kind and none of them told me anything. The last one said he couldn't see anything wrong on the xrays. He said it could be some type of nerve problem which the way I feel I agree. I don't know.
Busybee. I know it isn't easy to treat and I think I had a problem with it in my eye and forehead a few years ago. One of the doctors then said I had some type of neuralgia and tried to treat it with no luck on the medicine he tired. I got off all medicine and it eventually got better on its own. I have heard there is no cure for it. I know they have gamma knife surgery but I am hoping they can control the pain with medication. I know I am trying to doctor myself but I think it may be in my neck where the trigemianl nerve starts because I am having trouble top and bottom. Just a guess. Maybe the MRI will tell something. I do feel better hopefully knowing what it is instead of the doctors saying they don't know. Very frustrating. I will post along. Thanks for the comments.

 

[Busybee]

John, I've had problems with my neck and shoulder and I suspect that it's down to that area for me too. But what I have found is that when my bite was really off the neck and shoulder hurt too and my posture felt off too. I'm sure it's curable but with so many variables it's impossible to pinpoint what exactly causes the pain. One thing leads to another and then your body compensates and somehow ends up pressing on the nerve. I know you are going to look at neuro forums but please do let us know how you get on with the neurologist.

 

[MattKW]

Matt. If it is or was dental you would think one of the dentist I have been to would be able to figure it out. I think I have been to one of every kind and none of them told me anything. The last one said he couldn't see anything wrong on the xrays. He said it could be some type of nerve problem which the way I feel I agree. .... Very frustrating. I will post along. Thanks for the comments.

Unfortunately, the longer that you have the cause of any pain undiagnosed, the more it will start to refer to other places, and the worse you become. Dentally, I had a patient 3 weeks ago where he'd been seen by another dentist, then had the run-around including neuropathic drugs and heads scans at the hospital before I found a cracked tooth which had never been filled; very, very rare. Even then, I wanted to be absolutely sure before I extracted, so gave him a long-lasting LA, then he returned in relief, so I took out the nerve as an emergency measure, and when that continued the relief, I took out the tooth. You have to be very careful to avoid aggressive treatment as this will often cause pain of its own, and "muddy the waters" for subsequent investigations. Sometimes a nerve block can help isolate the cause to a general area.

 

[John Roberts]

Thanks Busybee and Matt. I am going for the MRI n the 28th. I will post on the results.
I agree totally about being diagnosed and I have been trying. The dentist tell me they can't see anything. If they did miss a cracked tooth would it make most all of my teeth top and bottom hurt. I have a jaw tooth that only had a partial root canal done it and at one time it was bothering me the most but it was contacting the top tooth. I did not have the root canal done and it bothers me no more than the rest of my teeth, maybe less. For now I am going with the Neuralgia diagnosis.
Busybee. I have definately had more trouble with my neck than usual and I know my posture isn't good. Head to far forward and I know it pulls on my neck. Hope the mri shows something.