I am unique, peculiar
, unusual, and have no underlying causes. Actually, so too is my chronic facial and dental pain.
The facial pain started one afternoon in 1998 while I was standing in a grocery store line with a loaf of bread, a carton of coffee cream, and a bag of russet potatoes. While perusing tabloid headlines such as “A Three-Headed Alien is the Father of My Baby and He Owes Me a Light-year’s Worth of Child Support,” a spot on the left side of my face started to hurt, and hasn’t stopped hurting since. The intensity of the discomfort has increased; once semi-managed by (ever larger) doses of OTC NSAIDS, now a combination of prescription meds can only blunt the pain.
Feeling left out, a nerve-dead molar (of course on the left side!) later joined in on the fun. The deep aching and throbbing can now include the rest of my teeth, and occasional electric shocks zapping mainly the lower ones. The dead teeth remain dead (this parrot is deceased) and the live ones consistently check out as fine but still hurt like h**l. My prescription meds do little or nothing for my dental pain.
Any combination of cramps in my small and/or large colon, severe headache or migraine, sinus infections, allergies, the level of stress, the constant lack of restful, REM sleep, the state of my mental health have an impact on how well I deal with chronic pain on any given day.
There is deterioration of bone caused by osteoarthritis in the back of the neck, and upper spine. Two nerves impinged on the left side of the neck and muscle spasms probably contribute to the facial pain. (However, with applied pressure at the site of the impingement, I scream because that spot hurts not because it causes an increase in my facial pain.) These conditions aren’t the root (excuse the pun) cause for my dental issues. (Some recent research suggests that misfiring nerves in the gums may cause this pain.)
Hubby and I talk about the possibility of my applying for a disability pension. This is conundrum; although having an identifiable medical condition is NO guarantee of a successful application, how do I prove my case without a specific named condition, a truly invisible illness, even with impingement, and osteoarthritis? Until I met my primary care physician in 2004, I hadn’t been able to convince ANY doctor of the existence and level of the pain. However, when considering the intractable pain, the ravaging of body, mind, and soul, the shortened life expectancy that go with many chronic illnesses and conditions, my facial and dental problems seem minor. I feel like a whiner and complainer.
But, then each time my body sabotages me, each time I try unsuccessfully to cut back on my meds, each time my pain stops me from doing even simple tasks, I think about the application. Because my case could be so difficult, complex, exhausting, and expensive to prove, I can’t stand to apply. But on nights like tonight, I can’t stand not to either.
Thanks for the info and the tip on the book. I know that when I clench my jaw, (or somedays put my teeth together, it makes the pain worse. Using the computer (why I’m still trying to learn Dragon Naturally speaking starts a cascade as does issues with my neck. And, because my neck is so sensitive and easily is hurt then spasms and makes my face worse and starts a headache, I can’t even do most kinds of yoga, unfortunately. I know some exercises have been devised, including yoga, for folks with various health issues.
The rheumy I saw suggested Tai Chi, but there are no classes I can get to. A video might work, but the position of the tv and the computers don’t give much room to maneuver. And, I wonder if I can remember all the moves, lol.
Thanks, too, for mentioning the trigger points. I have been investigating therapeutic massage for my facial and neck issues (also have very tight muscles in my shoulders which doesn’t help. Unfortunately, my health care provider doesn’t cover therapeutic massage (or any alternative therapies), so I’m not sure how much $ I would have for it.
Thanks for stopping by! I’ll look for the book you mentioned.
Lorraine, Applying for disability is very difficult as you indicated. You might as well go for it now as you (and I’m not trying to be callous) are in pain with or without disabillity. It sounds like trigeminal neuralgia? (spelling?).
I believe facial/head pain is the worst because it is the hardest to dissociate. It’s like it’s in the very seat of consciousness.
Bless your heart for going through so much.
with love,
j
Thanks for the encouragement. I just spent time on the disabilities website. There is the issue of work credits (I had wondered about that) and whether or not I have one of the “automatic” (ha!) disabilities. If not, then the process is even more complex. And, proving pain is difficult (as we all know!)
I agree that facial and head pain can make things very difficult. I hadn’t thought of it from a spiritual perspective. I will give that idea some thought!
Phylor, do you mean Voltarin prescription rub? That works very well for muscular pain and I’ve been using it sparingly for a year or so. It can adversely effect the blood pressure, so go easy on it.
As for the disability, as you know, I went through the process and won my case. It wasn’t easy. I first had to go through the whole thing on my own and they denied my case. Then I hired a lawyer and she was wonderful… I then won my case. I was told that the process is so difficult to weed out the fakers. The lawyer took not a penny until I won my case; then she automatically received a percentage of my backpay. Best thing I’ve ever done.
Nice to hear from you! I should friend you on facebook with my blog-based account so I can see your fantastic pix (if I haven’t already — bad memory and I don’t go to facebook too often — just too much information for me to handle! Hope things are going well with you, your human and “furry” families, the garden, and the farm.
As I’ve mentioned, I had put the idea of “work credits” to the back of my mind, and was reminded when I tried to decipher the government website! I can understand why you went to a lawyer the second time. I’m glad she was able to help you get disability! It is something to consider.
I use Voltren sparingly these days, instead using Arnica Gel which is naturopathic and only has one active ingredient: Arnica montana 1 x HPUS– 7% (what ever those figures mean!).
I’ve been having a lot of allergic reactions and my skin has turned hypersensitive (not a result of using this product), so I switched back to Voltran for my neck. I have several tubes as in Canada it is on the shelf next to the BenJay and is a slightly higher percentage.
There are people who get disability without a real diagnosis, as long as your doctors will say you have symptoms that cause you to be disabled.
There are also Disability lawyers out there who will help you file, and will only charge you if you get it. I know you still have to pay, but it’s something.
I’ve been thinking about filing myself. But the paperwork is all online now, and somethings at the beginning I don’t know, I’ll have to look it up, and they won’t let you skip it and go to the next step. My doctors have said they will happily fill out their part. I have a handicapped parking placard. But being put on disability would really help with other things. Like possibly helping with getting a service dog. And I’d feel better bringing in a little bit of money.
Just some thoughts…you know most people are denied at least twice before getting disability, so I wouldn’t let the thought of being denied stop you. You also have a mental condition, they could help….well, it won’t hurt your case. And that is documented.
I don’t have facial or dental pain, but I’ve had a constant daily headache since I was 11, shortly after my menses started. (I started when I was 10! Don’t you think I should stop soon? I’ll be 49 in 2 weeks!) I also have severe migraines…as you know. And my neck has hurt constantly since i broke the 7th cervical vertebra in 1992. Living with pain daily is not easy. We have to find some ways to deal with it…I call it pushing it back…I push it to the back of my consciousness, when I can’t I have to load up on meds. But often I can. Yoga has helped…meditation too. Ice, and heat. If you have nerve pain have they tried Neurontin, or Lyrica? both of these are targeted just to nerve pain. Neurontin, makes me way too sleepy….but some can tolerate it well. Lyrica you have to ramp up slowly or it will knock you out too. : ) but if it’s nerve pain, they should help.
Watch out with too many NSAIDS…they will cause ulcers then you won’t be able to take any anti-inflamatories….I speak from experience. Darnit!
good luck,
I hope you find some pain free days.
hugs to you
wendy
Thanks for the encouragement. I knew that folks are often denied more than once (and with pain it is even more difficult). There is, as I mentioned above, the issue of work credits. I have more work credits in Canada than I do here. And, my not working is based on my health, but also my caregiver role. So, it gets complicated.
I thought there were lawyers, etc. to help with the process. We had to hire an immigration lawyer when my status was iffy as the process of getting a green card (which is not longer green!) was too complex for us to handle.
You should be able to get a non-online version if you need it because of your disability. If I read it correctly (after reading gov’t jargon, my head starts to spin! that you still have the option of going to a government office for information and to apply.
I’m having trouble with the comment box tonight — it won’t show more than one line at a time, so it’s difficult to respond. I’ll try again later as I would like to address all your points! Thanks for such a detailed and informational comment — I’ve had headaches all my life. In fact, I have a slight headache every day — sorry you have such severe ones constantly. Maybe menopause will help? I thought I started early at 11 or 12 — mine were awful from the beginning! I know that menopause (twice) has made certain health issues better.
Talk later if the box starts to work properly!
PS:I’m on Lyrica — if helps with the facial pain, but unfortunately, it doesn’t work with the dental issues. I take 200 mg twice a day. Neurton (gabepetin — spelling) does nothing for me. No side effects, just no response. My health insurance provider keeps trying to get me to take it because there’s a generic, and there is no generic for Lyrica. I dislike all the advertising they are doing. I started taking it before it was pushed for fibro, etc.
Once I had access to non-NSAIDS, I cut way back on them except for voltren rub, some naproxen, and the naproxen that’s in my migraine meds. Tylenol upsets my stomach, ibprophen doesn’t work. Funnily enough, asprin doesn’t!
I tried a different breakthrough med recently with tylenol in it. I only took 4 pills over 2 day and I knew I had to stop! I stopped using voltran, and am as NSAID free as I can be.
Box is misbehaving again. Chat later!
I went to the dentist (I only go when i have to ) i thought i had an abcess,the pain was awful.But my teeth checked out fine.Ive since learned that i have multiple trigger points in my jaw as well as elsewhere.My massage therapist works on them and i also treat them at home but its an ongoing ripple effect of pain causing jaw clenching causing trigger points causing pain.I have found the book ….
The trigger point therapy workbook by claire davies
(your self treatment guide for pain relief)
For some reason, michelle, my reply to you ended up on the top of the comments, rather than below! Oops, the comment boxes have been misbehaving tonight, tool