i am not from the U.S., actually from Germany but living in Sweden for over 6 month now. So not a native speaker.

I want to add my story too and what progress I made so far. It took me some time to understand whats actually wrong although I am still searching some answers.

I feel a strong commitment for anyone going this dark and lonely road. I am still on it, although i partially made it through.

My story so far:

It all started with a new filling. The tooth felt somehow soft and not that tight anymore. Got some pain after two weeks and already felt some pain at the chin and down in the right jaw.

The pain got more and i got a root canal treatment. Short after the denist removed the root an electric shock ran all over my face (i feel a burning sensation ever since). I can not remember anymore if the first denist hit the nerv or not, because i went to so much pain... and just can't remember.

After that the tooth was treated several times but without sucess. Finally i got it removed as the only option.

Now the recovery story:

The tooth was removed on 3rd oct 08 (so round about 5 month now). I had really bad pain (burning, sticking) in the chin and the lower lip. Half my face (side with the tooth) was burning constantly incld. my gum and other teeth. I could hardly open my mouth and speak. Smiling every movement caused pain and burning. It was just terrible, but whom do i tell .

My denists said i should just wait. Funny guys i thought...

The situation today:

I am feeling better. My lip and chin stopped burning although they are still hypersensitive. I feel a sticky sensation when I touch my chin, after shaving or when I talk a lot. The area where my tooth was feels still some how swollen. I feel pain in the area or in the tooth behind the when i touch it. My face is still some what burning or hypersensitive. But i think it really got better and the burning area got smaller. I would say, I recovered 70% to date, but its really day to day depended.

Right now i am taking only 2x 75mg Lyrica and occationally pain killers (for the feeling not that they are really making a big difference). It is ok when i have good days, on bad days i could use more.

What i found out and helped.

- My pain is very much influenced by my physical condition. A cold or a flu feels like hell and my pain comes back for some days.

- Sleep. I definitly have more pain when i sleep to little. There is a definite connection.

- Stress. Stress goes on the nerves and mine are hypersensitive... guess what.

- Alc. Red Wine, Beer etc. is the best pain killer for me. Two glasses and I feel almost cured. Better than all these pills.

- Valeria in high doses help me sleep.

- Taking a shower. Thats a real rocker. I do not feel any pain under the shower, isn't that crazy?

- Diclofenac. Basic pain killers does not work for nerv pain. Although diclofenac definitly shows slight effects in my case.

- Anger & Fear management. Fear and anger comes on bad days. On those days I tell me, it will go away again. Thats really hard some time.

To day i can't say wether it was the aveolar nerv that was hit or just a nerv inflammation. But it is taking long...

I would be interested to know if anyone also have face burning in connection with a dental treatment?

"Wenn du denkst es geht nicht mehr kommt irgendwo ein Lichtlein her..."

Its german and says: "If you think you canīt stand it anymore... a small light will come to you and drive you further."

/Janis

It's nice to be able to post again. I have made further progress in my quest to cure my damaged lingual nerve and resultant paresthesia from an injection of articaine. After almost two years, I am now 60% better than I was originally... and this is VERY significant. I'm able to smile and enjoy life at times now without thinking about my plight. This is huge! I've started a few new things... so I thought you should know.

1. I'm using a "Statison" veterinary medical device designed to heal broken bones with specific electromagnetic frequencies. The inventor (a veterinarian friend) claims these same frequencies have been shown to heal nerves. I use the device for 40 minutes a day... there is no sensation when using it and no side effects at all. You simply have to hold the device over the area where the damage occurred. A similar device is available for humans with broken bones although it is not called a Statison.

2. I'm taking St. Johns Wart tincture... about 60 drops a day (split up). I drizzle the herbal tincture onto the injection site. This seems to numb the area and relieve pain, but long term I've been told this may indeed heal a damaged peripheral nerve. I also rub St. John's Wart oil into my skin under my jaw on the side of the damaged nerve. Another herb, Boneset, is used for damaged nerve sheaths... I've not started using this yet, but I may in the future.

3. I'm using medical marijuana... initially I hoped to relieve some of the burning pain with this (I use it 3 times weekly). I'm not sure if it's helping or not, but like I said I haven't felt this good in 2 years. There is good research showing that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) does indeed heal damaged nerves. I started all three things around the same time... about two weeks ago. Something has worked quickly to relieve my torture and I couldn't be happier (well, not true, I'm not cured yet), but honestly I have renewed hope that with time and continued perserverence my lingual nerve will be healed completely. THAT will be the day (and no I'm not high as I write this!).

Bob

Anyway, thanks for your post. You made some very good suggestions. I'm not sure I understand exactly how you got injured though. It sounds like you have some kind of injury to the inferior alveolar nerve. Is that what your doctors are telling you?

My IA nerve was injured in jan 2008...and I'd estimate that I'm maybe 80% back to 'normal'. I was also told to just wait...and my OS didn't offer any other means of coping or dealing with the pain and discomfort.

I totally agree that one's physical condition plays a huge part in recovery. Whenever I have a cold or a touch of the flu, symptoms seem to flare up. I've also had a few glasses of wine from time to time...and I find it helps also. I wonder if you have no pain under the shower because the water stimulates the area?? I know that other people can't stand the feeling of the water hitting the numb area of the chin...I was one of them. Now...l5 months later I can cope with showering again...but rubbing or scratching my lip or chin still sends little shockwaves throughout.

I've just recently started using an electric toothbrush on the advice of my dental hygenist...and I don't know if it's my imagination or not but I do feel that my gum may have made some small progress to regaining feeling because of it? I spend an extra few seconds massaging the gum area gently with the brush...visualizing my nerve being stimulated. Maybe I'm nuts, idk

Your point about fear and anger management is so true...there are days that I'm still angry. This has been one event in my life that has been very difficult to even begin to forgive and forget. I think that's because I keep thinking of all the others who are being injured and who are still simply being sent home alone to deal with it...to wait. I really liked your quote at the end of the post..thanks.

"If you think you canīt stand it anymore... a small light will come to you and drive you further."

thank you for the warm welcome to this forum. It is so interesting to read how different each story is and how complex the topic actually is.

I for my part won't stop searching until I find permanent relief and contribute to others.

I saw I new neuro here in Sweden to continue my treatment. He was really aware of the problem... Very intresting, the first i ve seen so far. His advice was, control the pain and wait it out. But thats nothing new.

Besides that I got chiropratic treatment a couple of times during the last weeks and what do i have to say, it got some movement in my burning face and lowered the pain. The doctor said my neck was so stressed after all these dental treatments. Maybe this is an option for others too.

What I am thinking about right now is. If a nerve hurts but is not numb, it can't be that much damaged right? My pain is getting worse when I am talking a lot or moving my jaw, as if someone irritates the nerve everytime it is moved. What are your thoughts about that?

I would really like to compare symptoms with others having inferior aveolar nerve damage. It would be good though to describe it better as a disease. Makes it easier to give it a name like "bts" for lingual nerve damage.