neuralga

[petal54]

sorry re spelling of of neuralga,but have had 6 weeks ofreallybad stabbing pains + 8 weeks afore that of lesser pain.this has been keeping me awake for most of the night for 6 weeks of this time,am on meds from the doctors,which have had little or no effect.docs just say 'give it time'which is little help when feel having foot chopped off would be more help.anyone else here had similar probs?

[Ethel]

Gawd - I do sympathise. I have bouts of this very very painful condition and take Tegretol (carabamezapine), which sometimes works for a short while.

Unable to eat or sleep and there is just no relief from the constant pain.

However, get to your dentist and get xrays of the affected part of your face - it could be an abscess, especially if there is any swelling.

Neuralgia has been called 'the suicide disease' because the pain can be so depressing and distressing.

I'm sorry I can't give any helpful hints to help manage the condition. Neither heat nor cold compresses help, and can worsen the condition.

Surgery is a possibility for some people but that carries risks and is not always successful

[blackcat77]

The only thing I ever found helpful was putting something warm on my face - I used a wheatbag wrapped in a towel and that took the edge off it a bit. My doctor told me to up my amitriptyline which I take for heuropathy in my feet but I don't think that it helped much. Also I had to try and stay out of cold wind, draughts etc as I'm sure that that's what brought on my neuralga. Not much help but you have all my sympathy, and hope that you feel better very soon.

[blackcat77]

Ethel - have just re-read the bottom of your post and wondered how heat could make neuralga worse?

[bednobs]

i am really confused - foot or face?

[Ethel]

Well I'm not a doctor but I assume it is because neuralgia is caused by the nerves going into spasm, and any touching or change in temperature severely aggravates the pain for me.

There is no way I could touch that side of my face with anything when I am having an attack - I can't brush my teeth or even wash my face. A draught of hot or cold can also cause pain.

Different people are affected in different ways, and if you get relief from heat, that can only be good.

[McNoodle]

Why is everyone talking about her(?) face?

[sqad617]

I agree with bednobs and Mcnoodle.. ...where is the pain....neuralgia is a symptom NOT a disease.
Ethel and Blackcat assume that petal is talking about Trigeminal Neuralgia, BUT are we?

[momac]

I'm also confused foot or face?but for anybody with facial neuralgia I had it for two years it was complete agony had teeth out tried everything ,New Era tissue salts kept me from losing my mind,find them in any health shop,there is a large range so read them all and you will soon find the one you need,there are no side effects and can even be given to children and animals,an awful lot of vets use them as well,it was twenty years ago for me and it has'nt returned.

[Ethel]

Wherever the neuralgia is, whether it be from shingles or another disease, trigeminal or postherpetic, the pain is similar (albeit in a different place) and the treatment is similar.

[sqad617]

Ethel, you are assuming that the questioner wants the "symptomatic" treatment of neuralgia which you have given her.

Clearly the treatment of the causes of neuralgia vary.

[Ethel]

squad - I wish I could find an effective treatment. I've tried everything that the doctor can prescribe and very little relief is forthcoming.

Magnesium phosphate, which momac is recommending, has no effect at all.

Sadly I am not suitable for the operation.

[blackcat77]

Thanks for the tip about New Era salts Momac, I may try them in the future - when you have neuralga it's any port in a storm!

[sqad617]

Ethel....I sympathise, but why are you not suitable for the injection into the Gasserian (Trigeminal ganglion?")

[Ethel]

I had the injection twice (in two different nerves) about 3 years apart but it didn't help me.
They won't consider it now because of the myasthenia.

[sqad617]

Sorry...that is tough, but do you know what, if anything triggers it?

[Ethel]

No idea - it just comes completely out of the blue. I can go long periods without an attack or have several attacks in a year.
An attack can last a few hours then stops completely, or a few days or a few weeks on and off. It makes me very grumpy, to say the least and the tegretol seems to aggravate the reynauds.

What a wreck I seem to be. :)

[sqad617]

Yepp...you seem to have had all the bad luck with medical problems BUT you are respected and admired on the answerbank, so that may make up for it somewhat.

[momac]

Black cat,I hope they help you,believe me I could'nt even have a drink or eat anything or even speaking would trigger it off,as I say I hope they work for you as they did for me.

[blackcat77]

Thanks momac I will try them - it's almost always the weather getting colder and windier that sets mine off - had it really badly last year and was in real pain for about 3 weeks - didn't help that my work at the time included lots of dog-walking! I used to go out with my face totally muffled with a hat with ear-flaps and scarves right up to my nose!