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Atypical trigeminal neuralgia and acupuncture

Posted , 15 users are following.

vicky59618
vicky59618

Hi was wondering on ppl s thoughts on the use of acupuncture for tn and atn. I was talking to someone and noticed a piercing on her ear the ear part just inside and above tragus she had it done by an acupuncturist for her headaches she hasn't got a formal diagnosis but suffers with frontal headaches and scalp tenderness and she said she has noticed a massive difference since . I don't want to try it incase it makes problems worse any information and thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated

2 likes, 28 replies

28 Replies

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  • dona40912
    dona40912 vicky59618

    Posted

    vicky59618, I am planning to try acupuncture. I will try to book myself a time tomorrow. I am so desperate that I am ready to try anything. I had MVD three weeks ago but that didn't work. How are you managing your ATN pain? I can't find a way to live with it as I am suffering every day all the time. Acupuncture is my last hope to calm down the nerve. If that doesn't help then I will try nerve blocks and after that is only left killing the nerve. Where is your ATN pain and do you have it 24/7?
    • vicky59618
      vicky59618 dona40912

      Posted

      Hi dona40912 sorry for late reply my pain alternates from left to right mostly left it surrounds left eye and side of nose along my cheek bone and deep ear pain the pressure like feeling cones and goes constantly all day it feels like a dentist literally has there hands in my mouth pushing and I'm wondering if I wasn't on 1600 mg tegretol if that pressure would present as the throbbing burning etc pain I had before meds were increased some nights I also take 40-50mg amitryptilline depending upon how bad a pain day I've had tonight I've got the burning sensitive skin feel to my neck on left side and left upper foot and last 3 toes v painful but I've just worked 12 and half hr shifts today and yesterday which were manic I'm a nurse (say no more v busy unit).

    • ibrahim57343
      ibrahim57343 vicky59618

      Posted

      Hi vicky your pain sounds exactly like mine deep ear pain facial pressure , drilling dental pain , throbing burning , tingling sometimes i get like as if my face is coughed on a spider web , i also get sensations on my neck foot toes fingers and shoulders , its been 6 months started after a minor head injury, and they cant find way only one neurologist said its atn from ucl london hospital , has anything helped for you how are you feeling now ? I need help this pain has taken everything from me iam 32 and i feel like iam 80  
  • vicky59618
    vicky59618

    Posted

    Anyone have weird limb twitching? ??from tegretol I'm on 1600 mg I mean like as though you are having your reflexes tested it's only with certain movements and mainly feet and legs it's not spasms more like twitching I've had mri brain which they found a type 1 chiari which means some of my brain tissue is bulging out of the lower portion into/closer to spinal cord my neurologist doesn't feel this is cause of atn but I'm not so sure 1 because of pressure feeling 2 because I've had other symptoms like dizziness neck/shoulder pain related to chiari which I didn't feel were appropriate to mention or were related to atn when I seen her was just wondering if you guys have no experience of the twitching sensations with the meds then if this chiari is the culprit of it all ????

    • louisa55738
      louisa55738 vicky59618

      Posted

      The only twitching I've experienced is around my eye, but not in my limbs, mind you I felt so shot out on the Tegtatol that I'm not sure I will have noticed! I do think you need it checking out though!! Good luck

    • vicky59618
      vicky59618 louisa55738

      Posted

      Well it's kinda leg restless legs but only brought on by touch of my feet or back of leg bit like as though someone is knocking you in the back of the leg I also noticed it when I was clapping my hands it felt as though it was vibrating up my arm really weird uncomfortable

  • clint71
    clint71 vicky59618

    Posted

    I wouldn't waste my time or money on acupuncture. Acupuncture has been scientifically proven, repeatedly, to have no medical benefits of any kind. It would be nice if there was an easy way around the pain, but there isn't. The only proven treatments are medication (pharmaceuticals, not "natural"wink, and several surgical procedures of varying invasiveness.

  • barbara81372
    barbara81372 vicky59618

    Posted

    Hallo all. My.trigeminal neuralgia hit me out of the blue earlier this week. I had dreadful pain 24/7 and went to my dentist first in case it was teeth related - it wasn't. I got an emergency appointment with my GP the same afternoon, saw the nurse practitioner who confirmed that it was TN. She prescribed carbamazepine at a low dose to be built up if it helped 

     Meanwhile I was sitting rocking with pain with a heated pad on my cheek. This was a comfort but did not take away the severe 'electric shocks' occurring every few seconds. 

    I know exactly how other people feel about not wanting to live with this dreadful condition - every sympathy to you all. 

    After another appt with my GP, she has changed my medication to a low dosage of Gabapentin. This will be raised slowly. I have to have blood tests regularly to check the effect on my kidneys.

    Praise be - today my pain has reduced and I have HOPE!! 

    I may be one one of the lucky ones but my message to you all is don't give up.

  • ernestine_93088
    ernestine_93088 vicky59618

    Posted

    I had acupuncture got TN for about 6 months, then it stop working. It made pain worse in some areas. Finally had MVD not once but twice in a year. Finally pain free 14 months. Have been dealing with TN for 5 years.  Still dealing with numbness in RT. Of body due to surgery. Dr. Said it may take at least 2 yrs. to resolve☹️ Or may not ever be the same, but no pain. 
  • ernestine_93088
    ernestine_93088 vicky59618

    Posted

    I had acupuncture got TN for about 6 months, then it stop working. It made pain worse in some areas. Finally had MVD not once but twice in a year. Finally pain free 14 months. Have been dealing with TN for 5 years.  Still dealing with numbness in RT. Of body due to surgery. Dr. Said it may take at least 2 yrs. to resolve☹️ Or may not ever be the same, but no pain. 
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