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TN & coldsore

Posted , 6 users are following.

janet1312
janet1312

Hi, I have been medication free for a year now after trying acupuncture, it has worked wonderful for me of which I have a session every 6-7 weeks and I have not experience any pain at all for about 7 months. However yesterday I got a coldsore on my lip which I have never had before and tonight the neuralgia pain is really bad. Has anyone else had a connection to cold sores?

I was ill with a couple of virus infections for 6 weeks so my immune system has been low but have felt great for 2 weeks and now this. I have managed to get an app for acupuncture on Friday. Thanks for any information

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • linda49402
    linda49402 janet1312

    Posted

    Hello Janet.  I am sorry to read of your cold sore, I hope you get relief from it soon.  The rest of your message gave me hope that I can overcome this illness and live a normal life.  I was only diagnosed today and all the reading I have done about TN is pretty depressing, with low success rates mentioned for most of the treatments.  I have had acupuncture in the past for other disorders and found it to be very effective.  I have made an appointment to have acupuncture tomorrow, so fingers crossed I have the same success you have.  Take care, Linda xx
  • mike59591
    mike59591 janet1312

    Posted

    Hi Janet

    This is a condition that keeps giving huh? Like you, I have had acupuncture for my TN (Right mid-line) it was extremely effective. I have always had cold sores and have long suspected a link between the two conditions. I am still on a very low dose of Tegretol as when I came off it I started to get migraines again - yayy!

    Many people have the HSV-1 virus but do not get the symptoms of a cold sore as their immune system can cope with the infection - at least that's how I understand it. However many things can reduce your immunity, stress, both physical and mental, and illness being the more common.

    My personal trigger for TN is generally stress. the hepatic pain is horrible especially as the area we mostly get a sore is close to the lip where huge numbers of nerves reside. I did notice recently that the UK Boots stock an acyclovir product for cold sores with a pain relief formulation aimed at women - why just women? I haven't tried it but may well do in the future.

    Lysine seems to help lessen the severity of the cold sore for me but do check the side effects.

    Keep positive, the cold sores do go, but the pain can be almost as bad as the TN for a few days.

    • janet1312
      janet1312 mike59591

      Posted

      Thank you for this.

      I have just got over a terrible time with a number of viruses of which my immune system was bad due to so this is probably why. The TN is really bad I have been taking pain relief all day but isn't helping too much 🙁 Actually cannot wait for my acupuncture tomorrow so fingers crossed it is as affective as it has been.

  • Sasha8101
    Sasha8101 janet1312

    Posted

    I remember seeing a condition called 'Post-Herpetic Neuralgia' on the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association website. It might be worth you checking it out.

    • janet1312
      janet1312 Sasha8101

      Posted

      Thanks you for this, however this seems to be from shingles, of which i dont think this would apply to me as i have never had chicken pox as i am immune to it. Thanks anyway x
  • mike59591
    mike59591 janet1312

    Posted

    The conditions are related Herpes Zoster is the Shingles variant and post hepatic pain is often associated - how are you immune to Chicken Pox - those who have had chicken Pox are immune so they get Shingles which is the 'adult' form - adult because by the time you are grown up you probably had chicken pox or have been inoculated against it. https://patient.info/health/shingles-herpes-zoster-leaflet

    • janet1312
      janet1312 mike59591

      Posted

      Hi, I have never had chicken pox and when I was pregnant with my daughter I came into contact with someone who had chicken pox and obviously panicked, my doctor sent me for blood tests and confirmed I was immune, so thankfully all was ok, it is quite rare apparently.
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