1. Gabapentin- A drug originally developed for treatment of epilepsy. Used to relieve neuropathic pain.

2. Physical therapy- TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) for jaw/tongue nerve pain.

http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar/news-279150-98.html

I also tried TENS and it didn't help. I think there is a school of thought that you shouldn't use this. I'd do some research on it before you do.

Look into Elavil (amytriptilin sp?) or Doxepin (less side effects). It has been my life saver but it took me over a year to get used to the drowsy side effects of Elavil.

My damage is not to the tongue but to the lip and chin but the results are the same - numbness and burning.

bowho- what side effects to neurontin did you experience?

Bob- how do you think TENS works for you? Have you experienced a permanent improvement or is it only better right after you do it?

pim- what do you mean Neurontin "made me stupid"? Do you take BOTH Elavil and Doxepin? How much and how does it help you? Besides drowsiness, what other side effects?

Thank you!

The TENS unit is just one of several devices I currently use. I sleep with magnets taped to my jaw above the area where I was injected. Got them at biomagscience.net. I also use a piezo electric pen that sends a charge into the area where I was injected. This has helped alot... tends to lessen the burning I have for two or three days at a time. I use it 3 - 4 times a day, sending about 10 jolts at a time. I also treat myself with acupuncture... that's what I do for a living. Needles are placed under my tongue... this has helped me quite a bit although the effects aren't permanent. My burning pain and raw sensations are about 50 - 60% better than one year ago (it'll be two years of pain in July). A couple of months ago I started using a Statison electromagnetic device that sends specific frequencies into my lingual nerve area. These are designed to heal bone fractures but will also heal soft tissue (nerve). This is a veterinary device but a human device is also available for bone healing although it isn't called the Statison. Shortly after using this I got a boost in my relief levels. At the same time I started using medical marijuana... this seems to help with the pain somewhat too. Actually have a prescription for it! Sure takes your mind off the pain for a little while... . I also take Vit. B12 (methyl form) every day along with fish oil, B complex, lecithin and R Lipoic Acid. All help with neuropathic pain. I REFUSE to take any drugs... I hate the side effects and they would only make me more miserable than I already am.

Bob

I am new to this forum, but am very nervous after reading all of the posting. I recently had #32 romoved and have lost feeling in my tongue. I remember in the surgery that at one point I felt a sharp pain that I had to grab my pants to avoid biting my dentist hand off. At that point I knew something was wrong. I can feel every area of my mouth except my right side of my tongue. After reading the postings, I think that I might fall into this category. Any advice would be helpful. I am unable to really speak clearly and afaiad that I'm going to eat my tongue at some point . I just wanted to know if anyone else has had similar problems with their speech, and how did they deal with the problem.

If you have no sensation in your tongue at all you probably have a severed nerve. Not good. Have you seen a microneurosurgeon? That's probably your best bet. Good luck, I'm afraid you're going to need it.

Bob

Thank you for following up on your prior posts. This thread describes experiences that are very similar to what I felt when I first got my injury. It was also from an injection, and the right side of my tongue was affected. About a month after the injury, I bit hard enough into my tongue to draw blood. Anyway, like many people on this board, I eventually came to the unfortunate conclusion that the medical world just does not seem to have an answer for this problem. At best, it seems we can do what works best to mask the pain and irritation, and try training our brains to cope with our new state of being.

I'm 6 1/2 years in now, and I also still cope with this injury on a daily basis. I chew gum and suck Jolly Rancher candy pretty much all day. I used to eat Life Savers, but the citric acid started to make my tongue sore all the time. The Jolly Ranchers are milder, but after popping one after the other long enough, these also start to irritate the tongue -- I try to be careful not to eat too many in a short period of time. I don't know if it is even possible that the candy itself could result in permanent damage, but I try to make sure I don't cause any other permanent damage to my tongue.

On my worst days, which seem to correspond directly to times of high stress, I will "ice" my tongue, if possible. I also visit this board to remind myself that I am not totally alone in this (thank God for the internet), and to try venting my thoughts. I've also started keeping a journal, although I am not that great at keeping up with it. I feel like I should at least keep track of the extremely difficult times so I can draw from past experience as I continue to cope with this injury.

You seem to have a healthy outlook on this injury, and I hope you do encounter more improvement at some point. I still feel like I continue to heal, but the pace could not be slower. Sometimes it is so gradual that I do not realize that I am getting better until I think back to times that were much more difficult.

Until this injury, it seems like I was always able to resolve -- or at least avoid confronting -- the problems in my life. This has been the only event that offers no escape (other than sleep), and has truly forced me to accept "coping" as a solution in itself. In this regard, I am still a work in progress.

>Just to follow up- it's been almost two years since I posted
>my original message here. It's now been 10 years and I
>don't have any good news to report. I keep hoping that the
>pain just has to subside but it's not.
>
>To nervousmom- I too have trouble speaking clearly but I
>have to say you do get used to that. Sometimes if I speak
>to quickly, my tongue can't keep up and I slur or get
>tangled.
>
>In the beginning, the pain was excruciating. It did
>continue to get better for about the first two years. After
>that, it has remained the same for the last eight. I
>constantly research and get recommendations. I've tried
>medication, but it's just not worth the side effects. I
>cope by chewing gum- about 10 pieces per day- especially
>right after I eat.
>
>At least it's not life threatening.