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I know it may be a bit of a personal question, but! does anyone suffer from Neuralgia ?

I'm only 38 years of age and have suffered what I thought had been dental trouble for the passed 5 years on and off. The related pain is right side of my head that is at its worst at the front of my forehead, it generates down around my eye and down to my teeth (top and bottom row) generally at the rear of mouth (molar area). Its not the standard short sharp shooting pain thats generally related to Neuralgia, its a continued dull and intense ache on and off through the day that can last for many hours. The pain can move up and down my head/face and can weaken or get stronger, its driving me nuts.

I have actually had several tooth extractions which has been against my Dentist professional opinion, they wanted to try several options but I chose the quick and easy root which was take those pearly whites out. With each extraction the pain goes away for about 2 weeks but then comes back just as before with no change really (ok! the pain maybe not so intense because the lost of a tooth which simply cannot generate any pain as its not there), but the pain either moves along or continues in the gum nerve area which I understand is the main three branch Trigeminal nerve which connects near the ear and to the front of the forehead. The pain can be worst for many days and weeks or can simply disappear for long periods (months of pain free) I have had.

I have been to see the Doc who has prescribe a nerve relaxer drug, I kind of have a phobia of medicine anyway so I'm not wanting to take such a drug because of the related side effects. What makes matters more confusing is that I went to see a specialist (Neurologist) last year who said he don't think its Neuralgia and put my symptoms down to chronic stress.

So! I was wondering if anyone here suffers from this awful Neuralgia or similar symptoms who can shred some light on the subject for me.

Wife is a nurse and she says that as it was last year you saw the neurologist you should request another appointment.

She also said to get the GP to refer you to be seen by a consultant in the pain clinic.

Thanks Dave and thank you to your wife,

This is what I thought the Doc would suggest, but he just looked at the Neurologist report again and suggested I try the Nerve Relaxer (which I was on last year). I supposed it did help a bit but not totally, plus I hated the side effects and was glad to stop them.

Its awkward with Doctors because I feel I am a nuisance and don't want to waste their time, if I go back and ask for further treatment (I will feel a nuisance).

As I've got older i have leant not to be fobbed off by my doctor, don't get me wrong he is a nice chap but it seems referrals mean a little more work for him and he is busy enough.
You just have to go in there and insist you want to be referred. Nuisance or not. Your life, your rules.

Yes! I'm learning Dave as I get older I may just do that!

I may try the drugs again but I really don't want to for obvious reasons, so I doubt it. If the Dentist and the Doc suggest Neuralgia and no one seems concern about things then I am happy, but what options does a Neuralgia sufferer have ?

People I know, none have suffered or much heard of this problem I read on the Internet and it generally suggest Neuralgia to be the Short Sharp Shooting Pains and the continued dull ache/pain to be a rare case (this is what the Neurologist said). I even have the pain cross and goto the left side of face and forehead, yet again this is also a rare case (so I'm typically difficult as usual).

This is why I wondered if anyone else out there in Cyberspace has similar trouble.


On a funny note! Its great to drive back from the Dentist in a R75 after having a tooth extraction, the car is so so smooth you don't feel a bump to knock those nerves about...... smooth sailing till you get to the Paracetamol.

Quite shocked on the lack off replies concerning Neuralgia, I'm guessing not many people suffer this awful condition which is obviously good to hear.

I went back to the Docs today to ask more about this condition and is it worth sending me back to the Neurologist, he reckons its the type 2 ATN Neuralgia and the Neurologist would only agree. Doc told me just to take the Drugs as it helped last time and to keep up with the course.

Glad the Doc is not concerned as it makes me not concerned, thats the main thing I suppose.

The reason I posted this topic! I thought may be others are or have suffered this Neuralgia Type 1 or Type 2 It seems the condition is rare but how rare I ask myself ?

Thanks for any help guys.....

This is bizarre....

I've been suffering very similar for the last two or three days!

Pain is from the nasal side of my right eye socket, down across my right eye, then over to my ear (which I can hear my pulse in) and then down to my top rear teeth on the right.

I'll be honest and say that, like you, I don't like to trouble doctors, and be more honest and say that I have a dentist phobia! I've got a loose tooth on the top right, which I can waggle about with my tongue (as you do) and I initially thought that pain was starting here and then moving up, but now I think it's the other way around.

Literally just got back from Docs, who are not entirely sure about what the cause is, but say that sinuses are a bit inflamed, and have prescribed just Ibuprofen and nasal spray. They do want me to go back next week for blood tests though..... (really looking forward to that!)

Interesting about the mention of stress though, as I am pretty much in the zone with work at the moment....

(Oh, and I've got 10 years more on the clock than you have!)

Dave thanks for the reply, glad to hear your story and I totally sympathize with you.

Very similar as you say mine all started with dental trouble two years ago when a rear molar cracked in two, it previously had root canal work. Dentist had no choice but to extract the tooth and since then I have suffer the Neuralgic pain on and off (more on I think). It snowballed from then on, pain would be as you say around the eye and always on the back teeth (top row and bottom row). I would feel it up the side of my face to the front of my forehead, this started on the left side and has now moved to the right (the first initial broken tooth was on the left and the more recent extraction was on right (so it all makes sense that its a dental trauma I suppose).

The dentist has even taken my four Wisdom teeth out last year thinking this would help, which I suppose it has. 2 years on and it seems to point to the dental procedures that I have had that has started the ATN Neuralgia off, I just cant wait till everything settles and the pain goes away.

About the stress! I was told by my Dentist and Doctor that worry and Stress can cause this pain, I now do my best not to get stressed as I do find if I am feeling stressed it does bring on the Neuralgic pain.

Dentist's used to scare me, but I'm over that now with all the visits I've had in the last two years (its been my second home)......

Thanks again for your reply Dave.

Well, I hate needles but will go for the blood tests and see if they can shed any light

Hopefully, as this is down for next Thursday, the pain will have gone by then. It's coming in waves today. For a while it feels fine, but then move my head in the wrong direction and AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

Apparently my eye is still looking dodgy. Gill said she thought I should wear sunglasses when I went to the Docs this morning in case I scared other patients.......

Dental fear stems back to when I went, oh it must be well over 20 years ago now, and had some work on problems on top/right/rear. Trainee dentist tried to get one out, and had such a job that she was literally putting one knee on my chest as she pulled. After a lot of backwards and forwards with my head, I finally said "enough" and, very nearly passing out, escaped from the chair. I went back a week later when the main man had returned from holiday, he said she should never have tried to pull it, and gave me the next 6 weeks of getting it all back in place for free! I should have sued!!

Not surprisingly, it's the same area of chompers that are involved now.....

Dallas wrote:Dave thanks for the reply, glad to hear your story and I totally sympathize with you.

Very similar as you say mine all started with dental trouble two years ago when a rear molar cracked in two, it previously had root canal work. Dentist had no choice but to extract the tooth and since then I have suffer the Neuralgic pain on and off (more on I think). It snowballed from then on, pain would be as you say around the eye and always on the back teeth (top row and bottom row). I would feel it up the side of my face to the front of my forehead, this started on the left side and has now moved to the right (the first initial broken tooth was on the left and the more recent extraction was on right (so it all makes sense that its a dental trauma I suppose).

The dentist has even taken my four Wisdom teeth out last year thinking this would help, which I suppose it has. 2 years on and it seems to point to the dental procedures that I have had that has started the ATN Neuralgia off, I just cant wait till everything settles and the pain goes away.

About the stress! I was told by my Dentist and Doctor that worry and Stress can cause this pain, I now do my best not to get stressed as I do find if I am feeling stressed it does bring on the Neuralgic pain.

Dentist's used to scare me, but I'm over that now with all the visits I've had in the last two years (its been my second home)......

Thanks again for your reply Dave.

Your troubles sound mainly tooth related. I would suggest taking the drugs for a set period of time, say 3 months. Then assess the situation. Stress can give this type of pain via tension of the neck muscles. One thing can trigger another. When I get patients with this problem I always check for tension headache, gnashing of the teeth and eyesight. Unfortunately, the end product (the pain) could be caused by a combination of things.
Daves tests would be looking for things more central to the system, general inflammation. Illiminate the posibility of neck tension adding to the picture by seeing a good physio. Make sure you dont gnash you teeth (dentist) and that your eyesight is okay and your note straining them. I think it would be a waist of time seeing a neurologist till these things have been illiminated.

Thanks for that Alan, I agree with it being tooth related (would seem to have all started when first having the dental treatment).

Over the past week the pain has been less (fading) its got weaker, I'm hoping its settling from the last extraction that was 4/5 weeks ago. However! I went to see an emergency dentist on Thursday night as the pain was quite intense and it just seemed like another toothache was at fault. The Dentist she was lovely, she spent a good 20mins on me and basically said my teeth are fine. She said the symptoms all point to Neuralgia (Neuralgic pain) the Trigeminal nerve, she advised me to see a Oral and maxillofacial surgeon as they deal more with Neuralgia pain (I wounder why my Doc has not suggested this), I will see how it goes over the next week of two, I hoping its all settling again.

Edit! Funny you should mention about eyesight, I don't wear classes and I think my eyesight is pretty good (but not had an eye test for some years). However! I do find myself straining my eyes with computer work, my last job I would be working on Computers all day and then come home and work some more. Just as we are now! sat at the PC and glaring at the screen must have some effect on my eyes I suppose (Blooming Technology).

Altering the refresh rate of monitors above 75hz often stops headache and eye problems.
Newer LED (Light Emitting Diode) monitors are slightly different but slow refresh rates used to cause many problems with staff complaining of headaches etc.
You are meant to have a minimum of ten minutes away from screen every couple of hours to.

Hey! we should have a health section on the club, would be slightly strange.....

Thanks for your reply Jon,

Yes! I think glaring at a monitor for hours on end is defiantly taking its toll on my eyes and head me thinks its got to be contributing to the migraine type headaches (eye-strain most probably).

I got the referral through to see the Oral Maxi-facial Surgeon for 2 weeks time, funny thing is! I've been pain free for these passed 2 weeks seems that everything is settling now, I'm hoping. I will still go just to hear what they have to say...............

Hi Dallas

You have already been given loads of good advice on here I see!

Just one more suggestion to add to what has been said re the gnashing of teeth in one's sleep...this can cause all sorts of unpleasant effects including that which you describe....I suffer migraines across the right eye usually..my latest lasted a month.....my dentist has suggested a tooth guard as one possible aid...the idea being that it stops you grinding your teeth which might or might not be initiating a pain reaction elsewhere...just a thought...

Thanks Zeb

Yes! might be another thing to add to the list of causes, my wife has said that I sometimes grinned my teeth in my sleep (but my Dentist or my Doctor has never asked me of this).....

To make matters more irritating and may shine some light on what you have said, I woke up this morning with a blooming headache and slight pain on right-side of face (teeth and head) not had pain for nearly 2 weeks until this morning and as I type.....

I cant wait till my referral to the Maxi-facial clinic......

MIght be worth having your sinuses checked too...?

Carl! If my sinuses were damaged in some way with the extractions that I have undergone, do you know what the symptoms for damaged sinuses are ?

Is it the watery eyes and blocked or runny nose type thing along with pain ?

Thanks for the advice.

I suffered a period of Sinusitus many years ago. Pain behind the eyes and around upper cheeks. Got some relief from laying on my back.
It felt as though the pressure was reduced by gravity i.e. fluid pressure dropped away from backs of eyes? I suffered for about 6 months and then it just stopped? I don't want it back Dave

Well! seen the Maxi-facial surgeon and she pretty much reckons pain is down to stress and the dental treatment I've had. Only blooming thing is! she wants to do a MRI of head and neck to make sure all is ok

I blooming wish I never ask my Dentist to refer me now......

................. oh! I'm having a eye test tomorrow.............. might need glasses (eye strain) could be the cause of all things said above.....


Can I ask if any of you gentlemen have had a MRI and is there any danger involved (as in Radiation) ?