Sunday, April 25, 2010

Coping with the Pain - Meds and Treatments

Disclaimer - I am not a medical professional, just sharing personal experience and other info picked up along the way.

Everyone I have spoken with agrees that the pain is least upon waking in the morning. The key here, is the nerves being completely at rest. Therefore the goal for pain relief is to be as calm, or as I call it, as "zen" as possible - to the extent that is possible in our modern lives! If only I could sleep all day every day, I'd feel very little pain....but that is not possible.

If your nerve branch is injured, you may find the pain moves around. My doctor compared nerve healing to a squirrel jumping from branch to branch of a tree - when the squirrel jumps, all the branches shake (all the nerves are affected), therefore, you feel pain in sometimes odd places you wouldn't expect. Like the teeth, or the cheek, throat, or ear. So, sometimes you need to take a systemic, or global, approach to pain management.

I have had pains in all of these areas, it varies by the day, or sometimes even sometimes by the hour. Some days my throat burns (only on the left side) especially if I am straining to talk, such as in a restaurant. Typically in my case, it's the teeth, tongue and cheek. For awhile the headaches were truly debilitating, but those have lessened. Now, the teeth on the left side of my mouth feel like they are in an ice bath - that's the only way I can think of to describe it - doesn't that sound delightful? Oh, it is, trust me. Teeth in a vice-grip is a feeling I've also heard people complain about - yeah, it's kind of like that.

Steroids - if you have just been injured, a course of steriods such as Prednisone is typically recommended, but unless used within the first 2-3 weeks of injury, you are S.O.L. I was not diagnosed in time (my dentist blew me off, telling me I just had "sensitive teeth" or "allergies"), so that window is now closed for me. I didn't figure out (on my own) what I had until 10 weeks post injury. I was tested for everything under the sun by numerous doctors, including neurologists at the Cleveland Clinic, but no one ever had a diagnosis, much less suggested injury from dental injection, though I kept saying "but this all started with a dental visit!". Ask your dentist or orofacial pain specialist.

Clonazepan - For the fastest relief of acute burning tongue, the best thing is usually clonazepan (Klonopin). This is a small yellow tablet - you allow to dissolve on the area of burning in the mouth. Then, either you spit it out or swallow it, depending on your Drs orders. It may make you sleepy, so I take 1/2 tablet at a time, scattered several hours apart throughout the day so I can function. This is a benzodiazipene so be aware of the addictive properties, and read up on any med before taking.

I was using 1/2 tab around 2-4x/day. But, as you will see, the nature of recovery is not a linear thing - you will have a few good days then pain spikes for some reason. Stress is a big factor, but not the only one. On the days I have "flare-ups", I increase the dosage of meds accordingly. But then I am in a fog and need a nap!

On a really good day, I only needed it once or twice, usually before a meeting, and at bedtime. Four years after my injury, I barely ever use them, but they're good to have on hand. I may take a 1/2 tab when I have a pain spike that's distracting, maybe twice a week.

Other topical remedies - Oragel, or topical lidocaine or benzocaine. Tastes nasty, but gives immediate relief. The blessed numbness is fleeting but allows you to at least speak for an important meeting or be able to play with your kids, not to mention keep you from blowing your brains out when you don't think you can take the pain any longer. Zero side effects. I carry it in my purse always, and wish someone had told me about this months ago. Recommended.

Anti-inflammatories. Because the nerves of the mouth are inflamed, you will continue having pain until they "settle". Naproxen is often prescribed. For me, this wasn't an option as it made me sick to my stomach. However, I have now been taking Mobic with virtually no side effects (ask for an Rx). In fact, I wish I could take more, but am being conservative and sticking to one 15mg pill per day. They are small and easy to swallow, taken with food, I had no stomach problems.

Anti-depressants or anti-seizure meds- again, to calm the nerves. These may in fact help, but in my case, I have found the side effects to be too great. I have been prescribed Nortriptilene, Lyrica, Zoloft, Elavil, and more...even if my stomach could tolerate it, I literally can't think straight on these meds, and feel like I've been hit by a truck, so work is out of the question, and there are withdrawal consequences. Some people even feel suicidal on some of these drugs, so please read all the warnings.

As for me, I felt disconnected, like I was watching myself in a movie. It just numbs you to life. But these do great things for some people. I tried Lyrica for 3 days; I will say it does help with the pain, as well as lift your mood, but I was, like, totally "baked" - stoned out of my mind - I couldn't drive or work under those conditions!
Gababentin (Neurontin, etc.) is used for nerve disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia and but again, you must consider a long list of side effects. Neurontin is pretty commonly prescribed for nerve injuries in other areas of the body, too. Eventually, I tried Cymbalta at different times of the day with limited success; I gave up after a few months. Hopefully your experience will be better than mine. ;)

Vitamins, Homeopathic, and Alternative therapies:
B vitamins are thought to help with nerve healing
C is always good for everything
A-lipoic acid is thought to help with burning
Acetyl L-Carnitine - another good one for nerves
Hypericum, a.k.a. St John's Wort - for nerve pain, also helps lighten your mood. Taken sublingually. Available at Whole Foods or Vitamin Shoppe, I took for about 3 weeks and it seemed mildly helpful, but not enough to continue when I'm already taking a boatload of other stuff.
Arnica - sublingually (dissolved under tongue) for general healing of any sort. I didn't really think this helped much and the little pellets just annoy my tongue when it is already hurting.
Traumeel - also to calm the nerves though typically used for joint pain for most people. 10 drops 3x/day. Did it help? Hard to say. Zero side effects.

I use Bee M.D. honey drops and Halls Breezes moisture drops to help with dry mouth and stinging, in an attempt to hold off longer between doses of Klonopin. Chewing gum helps, too, even if you just let it rest in your mouth, because chewing often hurts- pina colada and berry flavor seem to help most for me. Stock up on this stuff.

But wait, there's more! I have undergone cold laser and light therapy, taken tons of vitamins, alpha lipoic acid, L-carnitine, and 7 sessions of acupuncture. Prior to this, I had never tried acupuncture; I will say that, though it's a funky kind of procedure, for some reason having needles stuck in you does allow you to relax for awhile, and did help with my headaches. Unfortunately, the results are not long-lasting. But it'll get you through those really tough days.

Exercise is recommended if you can tolerate it, but I must admit, I've spent many, many days barely able to get out of bed. I used to walk 1 mile every day pre-injury; I remember trying to walk about 2 months ago and not even making it past 3 houses on my street, I had to turn around and come home. Now I can make it about 3/4 mile on a good day. Running, or anything aerobic is not possible; the jostling of my head up and down is too painful. Even things that should be so easy, can hurt, when I lower my face down for yoga or pushups, the blood runs to my head and owwww! But blood flow is an important component of any recovery. If you can't exercise, try simple stretching, just make it so you head is lowered no further than your waist.

I used to love to ski, but now I can't tolerate the cold weather - my teeth are throbbing.

Alcohol/Liquor - I have mixed feelings about this one. Many people say a beer or glass of wine helps them relax, therefore relaxing the nerves...but alcohol gives a burning sensation, and everything is stinging already, so not sure if the trade-off is worth it. Though who wouldn't love an excuse to just drink all day ;-) But I seem to notice alcohol makes my teeth throb more. And, now that I have blood sugar issues (unrelated to LND) my drinking has been severely curtailed to just special occasions.

Opiates- not recommended for anyone with family history of addiction problems. I used to take small doses of Vicodin, and eventually switched to Oxycodone, as there is nothing else that really works for the pain in the teeth. I actually break the smallest dose in half, so I can get pain relief but stay awake.

These are controlled substances which you will only be able to get refills for with regular monthly visits to a pain management doctor. So, you'll pay for the visit, pay for the prescription, and have to deal with getting time off work every couple of weeks - doctors in the U.S. are limited to only  prescribe a 30-day quantity. You'll get used to it and may need to increase dosage over time... though not necessarily addiction, you can form a strong dependency. But, there's really nothing else that I find works on this particular kind of pain. It's a trade-off.

Stopping the meds
Just not possible for me yet. To this day I am in pain every day, on a 1-10 scale, 1 being barely noticeable and 10 being excruciating/can't think of anything but stopping the pain, most days now are around a 5-6, as opposed to the 9s originally. But there are brief flare-ups in the 8-range, even after all this time.

My face aches, my teeth hurt, my tongue burns, I'm still very disturbed by any noise and cannot hold a phone to my left ear. I can't rest my chin on my hand. I avoid talking, singing, and going to restaurants or parties, loud TVs, children, video games, dancing, etc... I recently bought ear plugs but found they really weren't much help. Sleep is an issue of course. Every time the weather changes, things worsen. It is a chronic, ongoing situation, but it IS improving, just at a snail's pace.

Surgery - For some people, there is actually something pressing on the nerve, or scar tissue from another procedure, that is causing the disturbance. If the nerve is actually severed, and you're completely numb, this may warrant surgery. If you do opt to have surgery, it is said that best results occur if this is scheduled within the first 6 months after injury. However, keep in mind that surgery is serious business, and can cause other problems. In my case, I was told it could actually make things worse, (though I don't know how it could be worse) and was not recommended.

BTW, I am prone to sharing my own, very unscientific hypothoses, as there is very little research and most doctors and dentists look at me like I'm nuts when I mention "lingual nerve injury". But ask anyone who has it, it is quite real, and quite painful. Thanks to people recanting their painful stories online, that is the only thing that has helped explain what I'm going through, and saved my sanity many times. Please feel free to add your own comments, questions, and theories. Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, this information is from personal experience, and gathered from other sites.

If you have found something that works for you, PLEASE share it here....no comment is too silly or unimportant. You never know when you may be really helping someone.


Will provide more in future posts

79 comments:

  1. i have been reading your blog in the reverse and should have started from the beginning. i really enjoyed reading about your tried supplements and therapies. i also did cold laser and i think it helped. unfortunately, the inflammatory markers associated with neuropathic pain are multifold; simple NSAIDs are virtually useless. Enbrel is a rheumatoid arthritis drug, and is being used for neuropathic pain, actually with good success, because it targets the highest amount of the inflammatory markers and breaks the pain cycle. it is starting to dawn on neurologists and pain doc that inflammation is connected to nerve injury, so maybe they need to target the inflammation instead of just slowing down the nerves. sometimes i can't believe we are in the 21st century.

    however, enbrel has a high risk of really serious side effects, leukemia and MS included. not worth the risk for me.

    i have tried all the same supplements, including benfotiamine and evening primrose oil. did they work? well, i still have pain but i function better than before, so maybe. : )

    not sure where you are located, but here in the state a new technology has emerged called magnetic resonance neurography. it is like an MRI but it scans only the nerves. a center just opened up near my city and i am getting a referral to have my trigeminal nerves scanned to see how damaged they are and if anything is compressing them. hopefully it can begin to piece together the puzzle.

    k.

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  2. ps. i forgot to add, no pain during sleep is another hallmark of neuropathic pain. this is a question doctors will ask to differentiate between neuro and musculoskeletal pain. it would seem we would have no pain upon rising due to "calm nerves" but this is not so; our orofacial anatomy is still very much active during sleep, particularly with grinding, clenching the jaw, talking in sleep, and even just breathing. all this activity stimulates the trigeminal nerves.

    it is still not completely understood, but the theory is the gatekeeper between the nerves and the brain somehow disengages the peripheral nerves ability to reach the brain during REM sleep. our body usually awakens before this gatekeeping part of our brain, and as this part of our brain shifts back into proper function, the pain signals are routed back to the brain and the pain is felt again. the amount of time this takes varies from person to person and on the strength of the pain signal trying to get through. people with trigeminal neuralgia, which is severe pain shocks in the face, commonly wake up with pain first thing in the morning because their meds are low in their blood stream and the pain signal is tremendous.

    you would think scientists would harness this phenomenon and try to apply it to waking hours. sometimes i feel like medicine decided to skip school when they were teaching facial pain.

    anyway, file this under just thought you might like to know.

    k.

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  3. Very interesting. Yes, facial pain seems to be the forgotten stepchild of the medical community, doesn't it?! Just because you don't die from it doesn't mean it's not a serious problem that deserves attention. I wonder how to start a foundation to raise funds for research. Not my area of expertise, but I may ask around...

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  4. there are researchers out there, but grants are competitive and facial pain is considered a "rare" disorder. this is not necessarily so. a colleague of mine recently unearthed two studies, one in the netherlands and one in england in which doctors examined the medical records of patients with facial pain symptoms, checking the prevalence of TN and related facial neuropathy. the results were shocking: TN and facial neuropathy were happening to 24.6 out of 100,000 people, not the long held reported and believed 4 out of 100K people. this was a huge increase, and even potentially bigger, because the study did not control for TN or neuropathic pain being misdiagnosed as TMJ (which many cases sadly are). the message was clear, facial pain is NOT as rare as doctor claim it to be, and more research needs to be done.

    i am working with several people, all facial pain patients like myself, in the pursuit of diagnostic and treatment reform. we also want to take the psychological component OUT of it because there is no medical entity for psychogenic pain. it is ridiculous and it prevents people from receiving proper treatment for their neuropathic facial pain.

    anyway, enough about my piccadilly circus rant. i am a member of the trigeminal neuralgia association :www.fpa-support.org. though i do not have TN in the classic sense, many facial pain people conglomerate there for education and support. you could go there and tell people about your blog, i am sure it would result in some followers. : )

    anyway, once again it look like i am soliciting you. i promise i am not! just another one for the file.

    k.

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  5. Hi, I got injured almost a month ago, I haven't had as much pain as those reported in all the internet blogs I have read. I am able to sleep, actually I wanted to sleep all the time to avoid thinking and having my mind out of this issue, I couldn't focus on my work and I got terrified when I though this could be permanent and I could loose my job. I still think that. I am feeling better, stucked at the same point since last 10 days or so...but I am traumatized, terrified somehow and very depressed, I haven't finished my dental work, and I can't manage the idea of having anesthesia again. And there is more dental work that can be postponed, but it should be done someday...I had no idea this could happend, even the endo told me the first momment when I called him, so I talked my GP and she never heard about it, she prescribed Vitamin B though. I called another dentist and she said it will heal but I have to be patient. Well, I decided to research myself in order to find a cure or medication or anything and try to understand better the injury, now I have read a lot, a lot...also so many horrible stories. Well, apart from draining my frustration and fear and would like to hear for any advice or suggestion or any word about how to proceed about the dental work I still have to complete and if anybody has been so depressed as I am, how was this managed...I am unable to function sometimes. Thanks for any reply. Raquel.

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  6. Raquel..My heart goes out to you---how are you doing now almost 7 months later???? I have been going through this for a year now and sometimes I get so depressed I find it hard to go on but then somehow I've got to believe there is hope, so I keep educating myself on the condition and trying just about anything and everything that other sufferers have done or tried. All I need, is one good day to help me keep going. Take Care....Carol

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  7. I recently had surgery, 4/27/12, six years after my lingual nerve damage from wisdom tooth extraction. I was getting some bony growths removed from my lower jaw and asked my oral maxillofacial surgeon if he could explore my right side for possible repair, nueroma, et cet. I am happy to report that my surgery went well. He was able to clean up a ton of scar tissue and excise the nerve with the most damage and attach it. I still have quite a bit of numbness thats expected to remain the same but as of now, the burning nerve pain , pins and needles sensation is gone. I had tried all the medications out there for nerve pain before my surgery. In my opinion, Cymbalta worked the best for me and I had tried everything but Clonapan.

    As for future dental work, I didn't go to the dentist for three years despite having insurance because I was so terrified after my extraction. It caused more damage than good because I wasn't taking proper care of my teeth which made the work more extensive.

    Please feel free to contact me.

    Jennifer

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    1. Jennifer - I'm glad surgery helped, can you provide details? What kind of surgery and where was it done? What sort of doctor did the surgery? Many thanks, JF

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  8. I had a lower molar removed a week ago. I have been in extreme pain. A 10 on the 1-10 scale. Then today my lower left lip and chon went numb. I have researched this online today and I have damage to the inferior alvelar nerve. I cant find information anywhere about the.pain. Does it get better? Will I be living the rest of my life in agony? Not being able to sleep through the night without waking in horrible pain, taking a pill, waiting for it to take effect before I can go back to sleep?

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  9. hi im jake jerde ive had lingual nerve damage for over 13 years ..recently i had some teeth pulled from the top ..it kinda exasperated it ..but my nerves aren't that bad on my tongue on a scale to 1 to 10 ..im a 1 or 2 sometimes 3 ...i drink soy milk to relax and take small doses of anxiety medicine

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  10. Hi there, I had my lower wisdom teeth extracted, and my lingual nerve was severed ,left side, a general dentist. He kept saying be patient it will take time, that was 35 years ago.

    For many years I thought the pain was from biting my tongue' many times causing it to the bleed to the point where I needed stitches. Then I finally realized I had pain without any wounds. Hence chronic nerve pain! My outbreaks come and go with out any consistent frequency, I'm having a bad time now, 8,9, on pain scale and as a result I found this blog and I thank you for it.I tried most of what has been posted and at this time I don't think there's anything that I could add, if I come across something that I think would be helpful I will certainly post.

    Kyle




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    1. Kyle, I appreciate it and please continue to post if you do find anything that helps. Hoping for a good, low pain day for you today :)

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  11. i have had nerve damage in my upper gums for over 15 years. the pain was in teeth number 9,10,11 an i had them removed thinking that the pain was due to bad teeth. now the teeth are gone and the pain persist. but what i really want to say is that i was on celexa for over 4 years and once i stopped taking it i developed many symptoms that i didnt feel before. my mouth started to burn,my tongue twitches, my lower teeth hurt and the right side of my mouth where my wisdom teeth were taking out feels numb and its very uncomfortable. also the pain in my upper gums where my teeth were extracted hurts more hen before. its my belief that the celexa was hiding all those symptoms because antideppresants can an do relieve pain due to nerve damage. i just started to take celexa again and iam hoping that these symptoms go away cause they are causeing me alot of anxiety.

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  12. Hello to all of you. I actually had surgery on my lingual nerve on the right side of my face this September due to dental work gone wrong. No one could ever understand this type of pain, I seriously doubt, unless they have suffered a facial nerve injury. I work in sales, even worse, and am required to talk constantly day in and day out. When my "weekend" comes, I just crash. I too have been taking many medications hoping for a release. However, I sort of come with a problem...an addictive personality (alcoholism), so I am tryig to stay off the benzo's as much as I can. As far as pain management goes, I am relatively lucky in that my pain is starting to rapidly abate from an average of 7-8 to a 2-4 depending on weather, stress, etc. I think one of the main keys to surviving these types of ordeals is emotional and mental support. I have a very supportive boyfriend, and I see a psychiatrist and psychologist to help me deal mentally with the pain. My boyfriend is tough on me, but in a good way, reminding me not to do things to myself that give a temp. Relief, but cause greater pain later, ex. Too much red wine to relax ;) my surgeon has been wonderful in his support, and feels that I should get back to about 98% recovery of facial and nerve pain, in relation to my pre-dental work woes. For me, the best thing I can do is rest when I need rest, if that is possible. Healing is a slow process. Also, in the past, I have suffered from injuries relating to a car accident and found that meditation actually helped a lot. Just sharing some ideas. I am about to start meditation again, that I have more energy due to less pain. I am 34 years old, and too young to let this bother me for the rest of my life! I am very glad that I made a wise decision in my case to opt for surgery. I was in so much pain prior, at one point, the only relief I had was to knock myself out with sleeping pills and drool on my pillow for over 15 hours at a time. If any one would like a recommendation for my doc, I will happily share with you. Just ask for my email. Hope you all can find relief. I know I am actively trying.

    Mindful, tx.

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    1. I am interested in your surgery...what type of surgery and who performed it? Was your main problem pain or numbness? I am in so much pain and have seen many specialists who couldn't solve my issues. I hope you continue to do well and I would love to hear about your progress.
      Thanks Julie

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    2. I'm also in severe pain after tooth extraction..Please send me what type of procedure and your doctor's name. Thank you.
      My email address is nina_pench@yahoo.com

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    3. Could you please tell me what surgery?

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  13. First off I'm in good health and started when i was 24. I'm pretty sure what I'm suffering from is lingual nerve damage but just like every body else here there has been no definite diagnosis even after repeated scans which show no problems.

    it all started for me after a really bad virus with coughing & sore throat etc. partly i feel it was my own fault as i refused to rest and kept working night shifts along with partying etc as it was around xmas. The virus lasted well over a month because of this. At the same time i noticed my left lower wisdom tooth had cracked and needed treatment which i didn't bother getting as it want really hurting. It wasn't until my virus had cleared and my throat was still hurting that i realised there is an issue. After repeated visits to the doctor about this, ent and scans etc i still had no diagnosis and the doctor suggested maybe it was my wisdom tooth after all that was causing this. Well it wasn't, i had it extracted to be sure and still had burning throat pain and had actually made it worse.

    Its been six years now and the pain is still there on left side mostly in my throat but seems to move around. Sometimes I'm certain its my throat hurting, other times, my glands, gums around the extraction site and underneath the left side of my tongue. This is what makes me believe its lingual nerve pain. I can make the pain worser by pressing on the lingual nerve underneath my tongue and its exactly the same pain i get in my throat and in turn my throat will start hurting to. if i bite down on my tongue it also causes the same pain and seems to travel down all the pain locations when doing this. I believe this was caused by the virus i had, maybe it caused scarring in my throat from coughing etc maybe it was the wisdom tooth i didn't get seen to - I'll never know.

    The things for me that bring on the burning/aching pain be it under my tongue/throat/gums /teeth are things that cause dry mouth which makes me believe there is a part in my throat that when becomes dry stirs up the pain. Eg sensitive scar tissue. However cold air can also do it through my ear. Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, dry meats, milk, yogart, unsalted peanuts,smoking, cannabis (which is a catch 22, as it does relax me,help my unrelated back pain and insomnia but then the resulting dry mouth triggers it off). Basically dry carbs will definately cause it.

    The things that work for me is limiting those triggers in the list to a minimal, exercise and keeping the mind busy. I've also stopped smoking. It only affects my left side and just like everyone here sleep is the only thing that gets rid of it completely until I've been up for an hour and it starts again. Tried many of the meds mentioned as well but made little difference for me. Lyrica seemed to work to begin with then stopped working, same with amitriptyline. Getting completely drunk gets rid of it for a few days - thing is i don't like drinking and don't want to become an alcoholic. The best thing that works is distraction, only problem is you can't be distracted all day long.

    Feel free to comment and add your experiences, its good to see I'm not alone. My friends etc think I'm making it up which adds to the pain so i just don't talk about it anymore. I also refuse to see any doctors anymore as they just made me feel the same. Its like because they can't actually see anything wrong they say your thinking into things too much. Really frustrating! I hope for a cure one day but until then i try to stay positive and do the things i enjoy which definitely helps.

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  14. Hello,

    I have a completely severed nerve that happen in 2008 when i had a wisdom tooth pulled. I have had nerve repair surgery in sheffield uk in 2008 with no success. I am on morphine patches 24/7 along with lots of other meds... still in agony.
    I have now been referred for deep brain stimulation, can ANYONE shed light on this???

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    1. Hi
      I understand that it is stimulation of the sensory cortex of the area supplied by a sensory nerve. In this case the lingual nerve, in an attempt to alleviate pain. I have also had surgery to repair a damaged lingual nerve and am still in a lot of pain taking various medications. Have you had this treatment by now? Was it helpful and would you recommend this? Where and by whom was it performed? I would be very interested to here how you are now.
      Kind regards

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  15. Hello,
    I had my left bottom wisdom tooth pulled Jan 4 2011. I have been in pain ever since. I have tried almost everything to help with the pain. The dentist said give it 6 months and it will go away, it has been 2 1/2 years still in so much pain. I am glad I found this forum and know that there are others out there that have suffered this way as I was starting to feel like I was going crazy. Thank you to all that have shared your stories they have helped me tonight.
    Thank You IN PAIN IN WA

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    1. Hi everyboby, so glad to find this blog as I did not know what was going after one of my back tooth was removed with huge struggle 3 hours, my tongue is burning, left teeth ache, sometime very dry throat,speaking is a problem, at night I take lyrica but only then as it make me very sleepy. Had first laser treatment with no results. Going on boat cruise in a week and really need something to ease the pain. This is making me very deoressed. Who can suggest any meds thatI can use during the day

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  16. Had out canal 3 1/2 yeas ago and tongue has had been in horrific pain ever since. No drugs have helped. My prayers for all of you.

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  17. I'm sorry for everyone's pain. I hope something mentioned on this site may help you. If nothing else, you can vent here and we understand.

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  18. Just saw my typo from July 24. Meant to say root canal! Jane, did the acupuncture actually help the tongue pain? I am considering it but do not want to spend a fortune if it will be another dead end.
    At this point I am taking no meds anymore but xylitol gum over the teeth nearest the most sore spot helps the slightest bit. I pretty much have it there 24/7. Trying to keep social. As a teacher, I return to work this month and am hoping for the best! I refuse to give in to this! Jan

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  19. any doctors that helped you with the pain?? I am in need of a good doctor who would understand this horrible pain

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  20. My neurologist just referred me to the Stanford Pain Management Clinic. Will post what they think once I have initial consultation.

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  21. My linguil nerve injury occurred March 2011. It has been 2 years,5 months and just pray for 10 minutes of relief! It does help to know there are people out there that know what your going through. The pain is unbearable! Most people think i am crazy! It's like being in a car accident, but no one believes you because they can't see the injury.i get up and go to work everyday, but most times don't know how. I do not take the meds, as I refuse to let them destroy my brain as well. I feel as I will never be the same person I once was. The pain is constant. It is obsessive! The burning never goes away. My life has been destroyed as I once knew. I don't know what to do anymore. I am a strong person, but fear this injury has taken over. Has anyone filed a lawsuit

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    1. I know I got something to a lesser degree. my upper lip and slight chin is slight numb. those assholes were closed today. any comments jane???

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    2. I went to Tufts School of dentistry in Boston.I Was having a mess of things done.I was 61 and didn't think something like this could happen.I notified the Board who in turn I was told to forget it.I was not the postor boy for mental health before this happened.Life sucks then you ....I retired last year .these are supposed to be my golden years,golden years my ass.

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    3. I too have lingual nerve injury from a bottom molar root canal. The tip of my tongue continually burns and I have distorted taste. It has been three months now. Some days are very easy to cope while other days I feel as if I'm going insane. I don't know why some days are good and others bad. The good news is, nerves regenerate at a very slow rate but they do heal. I had nerve damage to my lower back by a chiropractor by applying electrical heat and then cold compresses. It caused accidental hypothermia. It felt as if a torch was being lit to my back. It healed one hundred percent after 8 yrs.

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  22. We sued the dentist for the butchering she did of my lingual nerve and won, not much, but we made her insurance premiums go up as well. That didn't help my pain any, but it felt good cut up her pocketbook a bit. It's been over 7 years and I'm still in pain.

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  23. I also have horrible tongue pain on right side following dental procedure, 12 yrs ago. Almost constant except early mornings. First had Trileptal (I was like a zombie, could not think, drive, work, function, etc...had to stop), no doctor really could help me. Now, I just switch several remedies to help get me thru the day. Sometimes coat rt side tongue with Ambesol (good temp relief but mouth eventually gets very sore), suck on Tic Tacs, chew Trident gum, suck on capsaicin or hot pepper candies(works but eventually makes whole mouth sore - so use sparingly), chew on whole cloves (yes the spice). This works fleetingly but the clove disintegrates causing a lump of nasty fibrous stuff in mouth. And every other day or so I take a couple Klonapin to give my tongue a rest from all the sucking, chewing and coating with meds. Klonapin helps, but it takes its toll. Makes me very sleepy. Afraid to take at work or driving. Also seems to affect my short term memory...so I do not take this drug constantly. Have tried B-12, acupuncture, naproxin with no relief. Actually took zinc tabs for a few months and it went away! But it came back and the zinc never worked again. Wish there were a better remedy. Will continue to look here for solutions, and If I find something that works better than my temp remedies, I will post here. Thanks for the thread.

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  24. Hi all, I've been in the midst of a lawsuit over my injury which happened in Dec 2010. It didn't go to trial, because the lawyers told me that I had a 90+% chance of losing because the injury is invisible and the jury wouldn't believe me. I couldn't afford to spend more (est 66k) for trial and to lose, so on to mediation. A joke. The dentist, his big law firm and insurance company had the upper hand and backed me right into a corner. I got almost nothing at settlement.

    My story is different from most. My dentist dropped the drill during a routine crown prep and cut the floor of my mouth. It was horrific pain (lingual nerve cut). Roll the clock 3 years, and my dentist did everything to cover his ass -- changed my patient records, blamed the injury on me "lifting my tongue to swallow," which I did not. He would not discuss nerve damage.

    I thought this man had integrity and take responsibility. Instead, he rallies his cronies to massage his ego and be able to say that he's never had an accident in his 30 years of practice. At mediation, I heard and saw him and the insurance guy laughing at the conclusion. Yet another medical practitioner screws a patient.

    Now, I am looking for someone out of Co who can assess my injury. This community is so tight that I want new doctors who don't know my dentist and won't have biases. I have chronic pain in the left side of my tongue-no numbness. The pain seems to be most prominent in the very center of the side of my tongue. I know and feel the issues you all know about -- you are a fraction of your former self -- walk around in circles because you don't know what to do -- just wait to go to bed to get out of your misery. I just want to find someone out there who can accurately assess my situation and see if there is anything to do after my dentist completely blew me off and let so much time go by that it was too late to do anything by the time I saw an oral surgeon. I've been on all the meds you all describe, and they do nothing except make me sick.

    Do NOT file a lawsuit without first asking the statistics in your state. It was a horrid, life-sucking time period (about 18 months). The defense will make YOU the bad guy. I am about as nice and normal as a person comes, and you would not believe the stuff they try to say about you to deflect the situation away from your "respected medical practitioner." The court system for medical/dental malpractice in Colorado is a complete sham for people with invisible injuries. I can assure you that it was NOT worth the outcome. And, to add insult to injury, your dental/medical insurance company has to be notified by your lawyer that you may have an award (ha) coming and they put a lien on any fund they paid for related to your injury. They want all their money back out of your settlement. Again, I remain in the hole financially after everything. It is NOT worth the brain damage, time, etc.

    I so agree about it all being "obsessive" pain and that your life is destroyed as you knew it. And, yes, it does take over everything. I would be happy to address more about the legal process if anyone wants to know. I hired a great attorney, but as a normal person, I just didn't have any more resources (had more than 20k into it) to put into a situation that I was told I would lose. Do not believe the commercials you hear on tv about a "big check," it's not true for these invisible injuries. And, it's even less likely that you'll make out OK if your situation was due to wisdom tooth removal or the injection. Don't kid yourself, these "devils in smocks" have all the bases covered and are backed by big law firms and insurance companies. And, even when it's over, you will not be healthy.

    I wish that we could band together to be heard and helped, but the medical community and lobbies are too strong. So, we have to find medical help who will listen and can actually help us heal. I, too, am desperate for healing.

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    Replies
    1. I am getting ready for this myself, wish we could connect

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    2. I am sorry to not have replied sooner. You are getting ready for trial? I would be happy to connect. You may send an e-mail to allysonz16915@aol.com

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  25. Two year ago I went to the dentist to have two crowns set. The dentist chipped one crown when he put it on; the other split down the back and fell off 3 weeks later. Worse, when I left the office after the appointment, my bottom lip was a raw, burned mass. The dentist said "A patient told me last week that the light on the handset was getting too hot." My lip took a month to heal, and I could barely eat or talk from the pain and constant drooling. My lip still has a huge black scar. I called 4 malpractice attorneys, and none would touch a dental claim. My advice is to contact the dentist's licensing board. The board is mandated to investigate and may make the dentist take responsibility. Last week, my new dentist injured the lingual nerve. My tongue and jaw are numb, and two lower teeth feel like there is a clamp on them--the vise grip effect, I guess. There is pain in my eye and ear and one side of my face. My two girls have never had a cavity, and I hope to keep it that way. Dental work is a nightmare, at least for me.

    ReplyDelete
  26. The post is written in very a good manner and it entails many useful information for me.

    Looking for the best Chiropractor in San antonio

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi,I'm Stan.I have been in pain for 7 years. These temporary measures suck.
    Neurontin,Elavil,Salagen,Pilocarpin.and Tramadol .these are my daily meds. Some days are bad.I don't want to be near people I fear new encounters could be stressors.
    My feelings on the matter,I don't want to live but I don't want to die

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  28. Hi Stan. I know exactly how you feel! I also feel like I want to die, but I want to live. I have lingual nerve damage following wisdom tooth extraction from 1 year ago. Every single day, 24/7, nonstop, I experience tightness, pulling, burning, and tingling sensation in my chin and lower lip. I do believe that this is permanent for me and the thought of it is so very depressing! I'm afraid surgery will make it worse.

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  29. Hi, I'm Mike (64). Had tooth root removed Dec. 2013, numbing injection hit nerve causing me to jump in chair. Month later dentist gave novacain shot for cavity repair (for tooth next to one that had just been removed). My tongue has partial numbness ever since (4 months). about 2 weeks ago it started burning and keeping me up at night ( which is why I'm here).

    I will try the anti-inflammatory meds listed here, as I do have some swelling and soreness. Thanks everyone for your posts.

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  30. Haven't posted in awhile. Went to Stanford Pain Management last fall and they sent me to acupuncture and wanted me to try Tegretol. I was afraid of Tegretol and the acupuncture was horrific. Had to stop after 4 sessions. Still in pain 24/7. Anyone have any new ideas??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Going on 3 years of pain since dental work from extraction of teeth. No drugs helped. Tried actupuncture had 29 sessions 1 hour 3 times a week. No help. So desperate looking into hypnosis. This has ruined my life. Just a thought I'm out of options.

      Delete
  31. I have Lingual nerve damage due to bad dental work. I've heard B12, Fish oil and vitamin E can help so I'll start trying those. I hear they say it can eventually go away but it's going on for 2 years for me and has changed me as a person. Dont want to go anywhere and then myanxiety and depression through the roof.

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  32. I'm a 21 year old college student. I underwent jaw surgery on sept. 12, 2011 ( I was 17 years old) directly after my surgery I had complete numbness in the right side of my tongue. The surgeon severed my lingual nerve. After I underwent server depression. Some days are extremely tough. Trying to live a normal life, work, and attend school; but I will not allow this to stop or ruin my life. I don't take any pain meds often, and tried therapy, but hearing all of your stories has made me feel like I'm not alone. Thank you for sharing your stories. All of you ❤️

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  33. How can this happen? Why do we find out about lingual nerve damage after we get it. Slight chance of nerve damage is what I was told, not ruining the rest of my life. Surgeons must be held responsable, they go home and get to kiss their loved ones. My prayres go out to all of you. Will keep in touch. God Speed!

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  34. I had a lingual frenectomy a year ago and after the surgery I saw what I thought was a stitch poking out of the bottom of my tongue that I am almost certain now was a severed nerve. The recovery was horrendous and for the first couple of weeks I had what was the worst pain I have ever had in my whole life, twice as bad as any broken bone. I complained and the doctor prescribed pain killers and said it would take time to heal.

    I went back to get my stitches out and the doctor said they were completely dissolved. But what I had thought was a stitch was still there, although it had started to heal over it. The doctor said it was just scar tissue. I had questioned if it was the lingual nerve because of the pain I was experiencing. She said it could not be the lingual nerve because it is no where near where I had the surgery and
    has never admitted it was a nerve. All I know is that what I saw poking out of my tongue looked like a big white thread and I think it was a tributary of the lingual nerve.

    After about a month the pain was no longer that bad but to this day I have a permanent numb/scalding sensation on the tip and bottom of my tongue. It affects my taste and on a weekly basis I will have some sort of pain depending on what I eat or do with my tongue.

    Before the surgery I signed a generic paper that said permanent damage could occur but was assured that it was extremely rare. It sure seems like this is not as rare as they say it is and I wish I had never had the surgery.

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  35. Recent lingual branch and mandibular branch injury from dental work to right side lower jaw, dentist feels she may have inserted needle too far into the nerve and the Novacaine she says "soaked" into the nerve too much or the puncture from the needle caused it to be this way. I have no sensation except pain to complete right side of tongue and lower jaw. Headaches with pain behind ear started 1 day ago as well. cannot chew or move tongue well, cannot taste anything. Cold does make strong tingling pain sensations. Has been suggested that I try VitalStim therapy-with the stimulation over the CN V to increase sensory input for tongue movement and sensory stimulation. Any thoughts or anyone try this

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    Replies
    1. I am not familiar with VitalStim therapy, so I Googled it and it seems to be primarily for those who have trouble swallowing, though I guess maybe it could help us in some way, too? Could you share with the group what that is and whether you've tried it? Thanks and wishing you happiest of holidays!

      Delete
  36. My daughter has lingual nerve damage from wisdom tooth removal. Turmaric by Youtherapy keeps her tongue from hurting and swelling.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I cannot find the brand Youtherapy anywhere? Please advise

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  37. You can find Youtherapy at Costco. I can't remember which, but either Vitacost.com had it or AMAZON. Search for Tumeric

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  38. I am so happy I saw this blog. I certainly feel your pain. I have had IAN injury due to a dentist's negligence with placing an implant. Am in constant pain. Tried Neurontin, lyrica and oxybenzapine. Am tired of it all. I just want a solution. Sometimes I feel like taking a hammer to my teeth and knocking the pain out. But realize if it would help would have done it. God this stinks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Besides Tumeric take B12 and Magnesium as these are good for healing and muscle and nerve health. I Just Today had lower right molar extracted and felt that scalding on my tongue when I ate and found this site. Thank You! I've acually had a much worse feeling on my tongue with last dental work and thought he burned my tongue with the drill. Thank goodness it went away but dentist never told me about nerve just said sorry when I told him he got my tongue with drill! Thank you for starting and continuing this blog.

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  39. I think the blog is very useful for the people who are looking for natural treatment specially looking for coping with pain solutions.Among the natural medicine acupuncture is the most beneficial and effective treatment for depression and pain management.Chiropractor in Sarasota

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  40. could someone please post something positive? I have been in pain with this for 2 weeks now due to a routine filling :-( there must be some glimmer of hope...I'm taking homeopathicmeds because I can't take anything else

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  41. Chantal, it's still early enough for you to get steroids, if your medical practitioner will prescribe them. I had an oral course of Prednisone and injections into the area. Both helped temporarily, but it was too late for me. You must do it within the first month or so...I didn't learn of this (and had to educate my dentist) until 4 mos post injury. Do let me know how it turns out . jf

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  42. I made this viedo with some of the best remedies I have found for burning mouth syndrome:

    http://bbemaildelivery.com/bbext/?p=video_land&id=46ad7098-48fe-758f-1342-f2f3bf4ce4d4

    ReplyDelete
  43. I have had a wisdom teeth extraction 8 years ago. On left side of my tongue is numb and no test at all. I lost my hope to recover, how surgeon said that the nerve will function but need time. How long? Passed 8 years. Can someone suggest what can I do where I can go for treatments of Lingual Nerve Pain?

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  44. Hi, I am a dentist. Hearing your stories is very touching. Every few years I stop and make myself read stories like these. It makes me want to be as safe as possible. It also brings the hard realization that this happens to patients and may happen to me someday a dentist and I will have to go home and deal with knowing these stories. I try very hard to help people who have infected teeth and gums around impacted wisdom teeth. I would never want to think that anything I was trained to do, or anything I do in the name of helping people could wind up making their lives miserable, but it can happen to any medical/dental provider, as your stories tell.

    Lingual nerve injuries can happen in the course of dental work, and not just from a dentist actually severing the lingual nerve. Sometimes just an injection is associated with lingual nerve injury, the thinking goes that it can be direct trauma from the needle or the anesthetic itself causing chemical trauma. That doesn't necessarily mean the dentist went to the wrong place in injecting as you don't know exactly where the lingual nerve is when you attempt to block (inject around) the inferior aveolar nerve. They are mm apart and vary by person. Dentists routinely give injections to the Inferior aveolar in the hundreds of thousands with no injury to the lingual n. It is estimated that 1 in every 785,000 injections will result in injury. I know that's little consolation to those here injured.

    Nerves are sometimes unpredictable, one person may have numbness, only to go to full recovery, another slowly recovers only to have burning appear and suffers, some may go away with time and some stay. However, there is definitely another way to help this.

    First though, I have suffered from chronic pain that started as a neverending ache and progressed to fire in my hands and fingers. It's not fun to greet the day in pain and go through the day like that. It was exhausting and depressing and I was scared of the future. To make matters worse, no one could see it. Please seek the help of a psychologist first and an oral pain specialist second.

    Pain is a very subjective experience and a huge part of our pain level is how we feel about it when the pain impulse ascends to our brain and is modulated there. That is, a pain that is a 5 is a 5, but a pain in the presence of anxiety is a 9. You’re not crazy, it really is a 9 to you. This is well documented. We modulate the pain impulse in our brain with our anxiety and fear. This is why we need to treat how we feel, just as much as the pain. Part of any solution to chronic pain is treating our anxiety about it which gives you the best chance of recovery.

    Lastly, I would not tell anyone to avoid behavioral health meds, but consider that they have a cumulative effect of decreasing your brain's naturally produced anxiety reduction neurochemicals. This is the true price of pharmacology and it may be worth paying but speak to your doctor about this.

    I hope this somewhat helpful. I wish and pray you all recover as much as is possible and have as much peace as possible.

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    Replies
    1. MY dentists son.... did the procedure.. He gave me to him as a new patient.. as he just graduated from dental school, was doing 2 procedures.. molar fillings. the second tooth he worked on.... bottom left.. He numbed my gum, but when he was drilling.. his drill slipped off the tooth and cut my tongue on the left side.. I immediately jumped in my chair and he didn't say anything, but continued to finish the procedure. He never asked me if I was ok... Not ever having that happen to me before in my life... I didn't say anything at that point and left... but later in the evening, my tongue was swelling and very painful. The pain would come and go..over the next 2 years.... but the time in between has lasted longer, hurts 24 hours.. no matter what I did.. no relief.. it has changed my life as I knew it. It has affected my job.. I talk all day and I sound like I have a lisp because my tongue is so swelled. I bite my tongue.. because it is in the way when I speak, making the pain worse. It has affected my sleep as I cannot get comfortable with feeling this pain, even at night.. making it very hard to get up and go to work when you didn't have a good nights sleep..It has affected my eating, as I cannot eat everything as I had always done my whole life. .. limitations on my food. I even loked at my tongue in the mirror and I have a white spot.. but there is also a hole where the dentist cut me. Was very upset when I saw that... I had found tramadol.. for me... it had worked in the very beginning.. but not now.. so I continue to suffer and pray that the pain will lessen on its own.I have to work. .. But it is so uncomfortable, making it very hard to concentrate. I don't know what else to do. First of al.. The post from anonymous... a dentist.. from july 2016.. says that he has had pain also.. Excuse me... How dare he say he knows what it feels like!! his pain is in his fingers and hands.. That is not his MOUTH!!!. I am angered that he is comparing his pain to all of us. The pain we feel, is very real.. It was caused by a real person.. after a dental procedure. WE did not cause it.. yet WE have to suffer.. every single day for the rest of our lives...
      I feel that he is making it sound like we need to take medication.. to get us through the day.. WHY???? I don't want to take pills for the rest of my life as he is suggesting. I didn't have to take any before this.... It was CLEARLY my dentists mistake. He should take responsibility . He has not.. NEVER even called me one time, to see how I was. I went back down there a couple of days after, and I told him how my tongue hurt.. and he just stood there.. arms folded across his chest and said NOTHING... so I just left.. Has anyone had anything like this happen to them?? I am still searching for relief from this horrific pain. Any advice or suggestions will be appreciated. Thank-you.

      Delete
  45. I had a wisdom teeth extraction and suffer from lingual nerve damage on the left side of my tongue. It has been 4 months now and I am losing hope that it will recover on its own. It also hurts when I eat (especially spicy or hot food) but the pain has gone down quite a bit (or I may have just gotten used to it). I was told I could go for surgery where they would try to connect the nerves together but it is unclear what they would do until they actually open it up during surgery. I've been reading about bad experiences from those who have undergone surgery and wanted to know if anyone thinks I should go for it? I am very scared and worried and would really appreciate if anyone has any thoughts.

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, I miss spicy foods! This type of surgery is an unknown. I was warned that there was a chance it could make things worse. I was told if the nerve isn't severed, it may be best to leave well enough alone, so unless you know that yours is actually severed, consider other options, too.

      Delete
    2. I had my wisdom tooth removed by an oral surgeon this last January. I told him I couldn't feel or taste on the left side of my tongue and not even looking at me he told me it'll go away or be like that forever.

      A few weeks after no change I started researching. It became apparent that time is of the essence. I went and had a cone beam scan done with a maxofillio micro nerve surgeon, which is like an X-ray for soft tissue. He said my nerve had been completely severed and I needed surgery ASAP. The scan was done in the beginning of May and my surgery was scheduled for the end of May. They squeezed me in even though they were booked months out.

      So I had the surgery even though my surgeon said my taste will never come back. It was a tough recovery and I couldn't open my mouth fully for months. I pretty much stopped eating. And I'm little so that wasn't good. But the surgery did remove the giant neuroma which was causing a lot of pain. I still can't feel or taste, but I think it's worth it. My surgery and the damage from before was one of the worst he's seen. They would have gone through my neck if they knew how bad it really was. They had to use a cadaver nerve as well.

      LN damage is debilitating. My speech, taste, feeling is all messed up. There's tingles and sharp pain sensations. It mentally exhausting since every time you speak, chew, brush your teeth you think of your injury.

      All in all I would say my surgery was worth the shot. Just make sure the surgeon is very experienced. There is one in Miami about two hours from where I live. The others I was referred to were in Texas, Atlanta and Chicago.

      So sorry for your injury. I feel your pain. But act fast. After a certain amount of time there is no help at all.

      Delete
  46. I had my wisdom tooth removed by an oral surgeon this last January. I told him I couldn't feel or taste on the left side of my tongue and not even looking at me he told me it'll go away or be like that forever.

    A few weeks after no change I started researching. It became apparent that time is of the essence. I went and had a cone beam scan done with a maxofillio micro nerve surgeon, which is like an X-ray for soft tissue. He said my nerve had been completely severed and I needed surgery ASAP. The scan was done in the beginning of May and my surgery was scheduled for the end of May. They squeezed me in even though they were booked months out.

    So I had the surgery even though my surgeon said my taste will never come back. It was a tough recovery and I couldn't open my mouth fully for months. I pretty much stopped eating. And I'm little so that wasn't good. But the surgery did remove the giant neuroma which was causing a lot of pain. I still can't feel or taste, but I think it's worth it. My surgery and the damage from before was one of the worst he's seen. They would have gone through my neck if they knew how bad it really was. They had to use a cadaver nerve as well.

    LN damage is debilitating. My speech, taste, feeling is all messed up. There's tingles and sharp pain sensations. It mentally exhausting since every time you speak, chew, brush your teeth you think of your injury.

    All in all I would say my surgery was worth the shot. Just make sure the surgeon is very experienced. There is one in Miami about two hours from where I live. The others I was referred to were in Texas, Atlanta and Chicago.

    So sorry for your injury. I feel your pain. But act fast. After a certain amount of time there is no help at all.

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  47. You need to be taking lyrica for more than three days! Of course you're gonna be zonked starting out �� I'm on 75g twice a day and bloody hate it but its for anxiety and I'm screwed ��

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  48. OMG, Jane…It has been six since i posted my last message on your blog (May 19th 2010 under How a simple dentist appointment can change your life). I hope that anyone who chooses to read the rest of this post do not freak out or feel desperate; I have never taken any prescription meds, i am happy most the time and for long stretches of time the injury wasn't on my mind…get the picture? I decided to write this post to seek Jane's opinion and to share my experience so that it might others who knows!

    So here it is: my condition hasn't changed much since i wrote the comment, but my professional life has changed in that it requires me to talk more. The fact that i might have to speak for extended periods, worries me a bit. I am fearful of possible pain flares or that the unusual sensation becomes too dominant that I can't ignore it. I went to see an OMFS to seek advice; he confirmed that surgery was not option. From the information i gathered, i believe surgery is recommended for the ones where the nerve sustained serious sensory impairment, maybe like the loss of taste, loss of ability to feel temperature (hot/cold), the loss of the ability to feel pressure (reaction to touch),...But i am not a doctor so just don't take my words for it. I don't suffer from any of these symptoms, instead I feel a constant but mild unusual sensation on the injured side. It is rather hard to describe the sensation, it is close to feeling burned, but with way less intensity so that it is not painful, but more annoying than anything else. Another way to describe it would be hyper sensitivity. It is hard to describe because an intact nerve wouldn't transmit these type of signal to the brain.

    The doctor prescribed Elavil. I am now pondering if i should take the medication because of the known side effects and i am not depressed after all.

    So Jane, did the prescription meds completely eliminate the pain or the unusual sensation so much so that you felt completely your old self once again as if you never were injured?

    I think that any prescription meds only diminish the pain…right?

    Happy Holidays Jane and to all of your followers!

    Pierre

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    1. Hi Pierre, I take pain meds daily for some semblance of normalcy. If I go without medication for more than, say 5 hours, I feel the burning or stinging in my tongue or head or throbbing in my teeth (it varies). I wish I had better news and a better result to report.

      I saw so many doctors, and no one had anything different to offer me. I tried Elavil, too, as well as many others of course. I couldn't take the side effects. Therefore, I ended up being on pain meds, apparently for life, which is a pain in the butt but you know, it's not the worst thing ever. Things could always be worse, I always say.

      I'm not complaining. It's just, in answer to your question, no, I never feel completely my old self. I am a different version of myself. I can feel fine for many hours at a time, though. Staying busy is good, and just being prepared and stocked up with medication is a good way to avoid more anxiety about my condition. I don't like the dependency, but this is just how it is...it's not so bad.
      I do hope this helps.
      Happy Holidays!

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    2. Jane, i asked two pharmacists about the possibility of feeling completely normal by taking Elavil; one said it is possible and the other said it only reduces the pain, so who is right? Given your answer and what i read on your blog and elsewhere on the internet, medication only reduces the pain it seems. Well, we fall into the grey zone of medicine when it comes to treatment for this type of injury. I haven't made up my mind definitively but i am leaning towards not taking the medication.

      Thank you for the reply Jane, it did help.

      Delete
    3. Pierre, your description is the closest to what I'm experiencing that I've read so far. My left lingual nerve was damaged in my wisdom teeth removal a month and a half ago. I have pulling, prickly, burning, tingling, etc. sensations that are sometimes too intense to ignore. Sometimes it hurts to talk, which is extremely debilitating. However, I also can't feel much on the outside, or taste on that side. I'm going to look into surgery. I take gabapentin as needed and b12, but every day is a new, shitty adventure honestly. It sucks, but it's nice to know I'm not alone.

      Delete
  49. My name is Pam. I had my left upper and lower wisdom teeth extracted Sept 2014. My inferior alveolar nerve was damaged resulting in numbness of my lower lip half my chin and teeth numbness. I have excruciating pain from corner of my mouth to chin. It feels like someone is pounding a nail in my jaw. Speech is difficult, eating and smiling. I am on neurotin 600 mg three times daily. I work as RN and have had to cut back. This has changed my life dramatically for the worse. Depression has set in and thoughts of suicide. I am heading to Mayo end of Jan.

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    1. Pam, I would like to know what Mayo had to say. Please, if you see this, do share your experience. Did you go to the clinic in MN or FL?

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  50. I suggest meditation, acupunture and energy work (learn how to do it yourself).

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  51. I'm a veterin at this 16 years now. The good news is I'm way better , a few things to keep in mind don't worry ...it will heal in time ..if you have pain and numbness is a good it means the nerves are looking for a branch to hop onto and with that comes the pain ..if your just numb then it will take you to the pain vice versa ..after the numbness and pain comes the sensitive rough tongue with feeling ..poop out !!! For newbies I suggest massaging your gums where your injury occurred you can feel it with ..use a rubber tipped toothbrush .get yourself tumeric and black pepper extract take a few capsules with any top s uperfoods ..I like sea buck thorn berry oil by sibu, also royal jelly , high nutrient dense food will help regenerate the burning pain etc ...also calming teas and t inctures for fast acting same as gum or sucky candies ...don't worry it will get better

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  52. I cant believe someone has gone through same Dental pain, I feel so relieved to find some help or realtion to the Dental Issue .
    I had couple teeth out a couple of years ago and have been battling since .
    The last 5 months Ive seen 7 dentists / specialist that all had different opinions .
    I have had 3 needles in last 4 months all of which really hurt very badly .
    1) I was shocked in the face in my lower left Jaw. And I yelled out and was laying face down for five minutes while dentist called nurse to see if im okay while I moan in pain .. this was for a cleaning only .
    2) Just recently the roof of my mouth on left side an insane hammer nail pain I yelled out in pain..
    3 was for a cleaning and that was in gums but the freezing irritated my gums for weeks.

    I am now suffering constant mouth pain/ teeth pain as many of you described. But even worse than couple years ago.
    My left side throat swells up when I drink it feels like I have a sore/swelled throat and burning sensation into my throat on the same side .
    I experience massive headache pain which happens at any time it feels. It could be 10 mins or 2 days the headache.
    I can roll and snap muscles in back neck/skull where you can hear them move and make snap noise.

    Does anyone know of a specialist they can suggest or type of specialist I can look for . I am so desperate for help it has stolen my life and my family is disappointed I went from motivated to always in severe pain.
    Ive change my health and dental health in last 6 months and hope someone can help with advice for solution please.

    Thank you for reading and godbless the Woman who started this post .

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    1. Ron, I'm sorry for your experience, it sounds very painful and familiar to many of us. I wish I had a great doctor to send you to (where are you located?) One of the things I've wanted to start is a directory of health professionals who treat this injury, but there are so few that I'm aware of, it's never gotten off the ground. It seems we need to educate our local dentists/doctors more than they us. SO frustrating. Start with a neurologist if you haven't already seen one, at least for the headaches. My guess is that one of those needles hit a nerve and may have in fact released chemicals into it which your body is reacting to but, again, I'm just some person on the Internet and can't examine you like a neurologist would. In addition to nerve damage, the muscles nearby can tighten up in response to the injury and cause an area of longer term damage; I believe this is what happened in my case. I always recommend steroids be tried as a first step. Good luck with your diagnosis, keep me posted.
      Hugs - jf

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  53. Hi. I’m new to this. I’m currently in the process of trying to get a diagnosis. My injury started 4 and a half years ago. I was put on lexipro and trileptal. Any way after a year I went into remission. I smoked pot everyday and the things were good. I’d get a minor flare up and then the next morning it would be gone. Well it’s been back with vengeance the past 11 months. Any help finding a specialist in the northern va area would be awesome. I am totally defeated and basically am living for my children

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  54. Hello,
    I have a 20 year old daughter who had her wisdom teeth removed, none were impacted, seemed to be routine. Not so much its now been 6 weeks later she had lost all taste and feeling on once side of her tongue , the other side is constantly burning and what she says feels like electric shock. She cant sleep well, is having a hard time focusing and she has also developed migraines. We are trying to find a neurologist in the Spokane wa area. If anyone has a recommendation it would be a great help.

    krlittle3@msn.com

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