I'm in desperate pain. Can anyone tell me what this is?

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I was putting on my makeup this morning (blusher) when I had a succession of excruciating sharp/electric shock type pains in my cheek. It nearly floored me and made me want to be sick. This happened again this afternoon when my 9 week old touched my face. I honestly nearly dropped him it hurt so bad.

I can't get a docs appointment until after Christmas and was wondering if it WBU to ask if anyone on MN has experienced similar? Not looking for a diagnosis as such but more of a 'it could be this'

Very worried and annoyingly can't get in with my doctor :(

Definitely wasn't dental?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/trigeminal-neuralgia/ ?

It sounds like trigeminal neuralgia. This is supposed to be excruciatingly painful, from even a slight brush.

Ring 111?

Trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered by touch and you'll need to see a GP before Christmas if it is that, IMO. It is that type of electric shock pain, although it can also be a constant burning.

The reason I suggest seeing your GP as soon as possible is because if it is TN, the pain doesn't respond to over-the-counter painkillers - it is often treated with anti-convulsants meds instead which take a while to build up to an effective level in your bloodstream. Tricyclic anti-depressants are sometimes effective for some people as well.

Have a look at TNA-UK website for more info.

Facial Neuralgia, I've read that meds are available to help control it.

I have trigeminal neuralgia and other nerve problems with my face, it definitely sounds like it could be that.

You're likely to need an MRI to check for any compressions but anti convulsants tend to work well to keep the nerve impulses under control. I started on carbamazepine but have been through a lot.

Do you have a rash anywhere near inc scalp as shingles can give you that kind of pain too.

In the meantime try to avoid anything touching your face, any sudden change in temperature and being in front of a heater with air blowing on your face or outside in wind. And watch for any particularly hot or cold food, that can be a trigger too.

It's a fucking horrible disease, but the medication can help a lot.

Ring 111 and get an out of hours appointment

It sounds a lot like trigeminal neuralgia. I'd get to your GP as soon as possible and get started on the medication. Eventually you'll need to see a specialist, but over the holidays you could at least try out the medication to see if it helps.

Oh no - I have a tiny baby who is EBF :( but I'm in agony when it happens. This isn't sounding good :(

Keep the area covered with a scarf if you go out in the cold wind. Cold can also trigger the pain if it is trigeminal pain

For me at least, the drugs work well. It's much better treated than untreated, that's for sure! Don't get too despondent about it. The doses of anticonvulsants or tricyclics are usually small so they may be ok with breast feeding. I'm not sure though as my children were older when I got it.

There's a trigeminal neuralgia UK Facebook group that can give you useful information, although it can also be difficult to see other people in pain. Some people have luck with high dose vitamin B12 (and there is some proper evidence for this).

Another TN sufferer here. Get thee to a gp who can verify it and prescribe something.

That sounds like neuralgia. You want to see someone asap as to me it sounds like what I get at the beginning of an episode. Ends up with long bouts of pain like someone has hooked up your nerves to an engine and keeps revving it. Painkillers don't touch it generally.

Normal nsaid painkillers don't. I'm on anti epileptic drugs that do dull the pain to a manageable level. Some tricyclic antidepressants also can help with the pain.

If it's triggered by things you can mostly avoid you can get by. But it's tricky to avoid the triggers. And mine just spontaneously kicks off so I can't take that risk.

At docs waiting to be seen now. Wish me luck... it's been one hell of a Christmas...

Hope everything's OK. I've never heard of this, but it sounds really painful.

I'm not in pain at the moment. Really worried I won't be able to explain it properly and will be fobbed off...

Wow. Truly fobbed off. Told it was from when I had shingles on the side of my nose over a year ago and that as I'm breast feeding I'll just have to put up with it. Mentioned trigeminal neuralgia and he just said 'no dear'

Can you make an appointment with a different GP? And before you go, ring the drugs in breastmilk helpline so that you’re informed as to what you can take? I took anticonvulsants whilst breastfeeding for a different reason.

Had similar three years ago this March. Absolute agony, like childbirth contractions in my face , every few minutes which stopped me being able to talk or even breathe properly. In fact it is it an exaggeration to say I would rather have a baby with no pain relief rather than that pain. Ended up in hospital as I maxed out painkillers, burnt all my insides as no food and max painkillers on an empty stomach then had chest pain which the were querying as a heart attack. Initial diagnosis was it was likely to be TN.

Anyway.... on returning from the hospital my DH had made me a soft bacon roll as I’d not eaten for days. I bit down and one of my back teeth shattered into pieces. I’d had a hairline crack ( which would have been impossible to see ) and once it broke the pain disappeared. I sobbed with relief.
I read up about TN and feared the worst, anyone who is living with this condition has my heartfelt sympathy. I was fobbed off at the GP too, just prescribed afore mentioned painkillers that made me so ill.

Really hope you get it sorted, could you get to a dentist to see if you have a fractured tooth. That said, my own dentist said they don’t even always show up in an x Ray.

Sending hugs because I bet you really need them. Worse case scenario if it is TN, there’s a website and support group.i’ll try and dig it out x

if it is TNP acupuncture can work amazingly and has good clinical evidence.