Pain in the gum area like nerves pulling

[glennbecky]

I had surgery about 2 years ago on my acoustic neuroma. They went in from behind my ear.
Have been dealing with headaches and nerve pain in my neck and around the scar area.
The last 2 months I've had this nerve root pain on the inside of my mouth. The upper gum line feels
like it's getting pulled or pain just shooting down my tooth. I had a root canal done on the tooth I thought it
was and the pain came back a few days later.  I am lost as to what to do.  I take Neurontin for the nerve pain I get in my head.
Anyone ever had this?  

Thank you

[Jim Scott]

Glennbecky ~

Welcome to the ANA website discussion forums.  I'm sorry to learn of your post-op pain issues.  This should definitely be brought to the attention of the doctor that performed your surgery but if he/she isn't helpful, you may want to consider consulting a pain management physician that specializes in post-operative pain issues.   Other posters may have alternative suggestions but the fact remains that no one should have to live with this kind of discomfort - and I'm dismayed to learn that you do.  I trust that you'll be able to find relief, soon.

Jim

[Lizard]

This sounds like a trigeminal neuralgia.  These are nerves that come out basically at the temple and run across your face and can cause pain with the teeth. Anne Marie is probably the one to talk to on this because she suffers from it.  There are times when you might feel like having all your teeth pulled, but its not the teeth.  Its very typical of this type of pain.  Do a search on the site to see what you come up with.  I remember some comments on an older post just a month or so ago.

I also have head pain from the surgery and nerve blocks have been my life saver. 

Good luck to you and hopefully you find some answers.
Liz

[deheisel11]

GlenBecky,
You did not give a definite timeline on your root canal.  Having a root canal does  not necessaryily solve the pain right away.  During the filing of the nerve canals where the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth are, sometimes the shavings of the canal are forced through the opening of the root.  This can cause pain in a tooth that you wouldn't think should have any pain since the nerve has been removed.  Usually that pain goes away on its own.  If it doesn't, your dentist will probably decide to put you on antibiotics.  Also, after a root canal is done, the tooth becomes fairly brittle.  If the tooth is not crowned (or capped), the tooth may fracture vertically.  This also would also cause pain.  Check with your dentist soon.  It may be trigeminal neuralgia, but we normally try to eliminate the common causes first and then progress to the possible bigger issues.  I am a retired dentist.  Hopefully, this might be a help to you.  Best of luck with all of your pain issues

[yardtick]

Glennbecky,

I feel your pain!!  I'm having my own issues with my gums, I'm on a cancelation list to get in and see my dentist.  Yesterday I had to attend a funeral and today my dentist office is closed.  I had a root cannel 2 months after I had surgery to debulk my tumour.  I suffer from headaches and facial pain.  I tried neurontin for a few years and now I am on Lyrica.  On a good day I feel like a force is pulling the left side of  my face off.  My gums have receded something terrible on the left side.  I use the sensitive tooth paste and even rub the tooth paste in the real sensitive areas. 

Anne Marie

[inmaine724]

I haven't had surgery (yet) for my AN, but I have had tongue pain AND gum pain for about 8 months now.  It's horrible.  Mine isn't so much shooting pain, but feels almost like burning, though had one tooth that was bothering me in the back that they suggested a root canal for (if you ask me, they say/do that a little too quickly!).  I have had it looked at from an oral surgeon, because I thought it had to be something they could treat.  Only to be told there is nothing there, like I was nuts.  So, it's clearly a nerve issue.  When you look at pics of AN, and all the places it could be sitting in that small area, there are SO many nerves that can be affected.  I think that the usual nerves (facial and hearing) are the obvious suspects and what you hear most about, but the mouth, tongue, gums, even teeth can feel it as well.  I've been researching this for months, and there is no doubt.  They gave me neurontin as well, but I have yet to take it.  Does it help at least with the nerve pain in your head?  How much do you take a day?

Sorry for your pain.  :-(

...Danielle