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Old 12-11-2008, 02:55 PM
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dmplaura dmplaura is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, Canada
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dmplaura dmplaura is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, Canada
Posts: 2,195
15 yr Member
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Quote:
Originally Posted by seara View Post
Migraines - I've had a huge spike in having migraines. I used to get them maybe once every month or so, and now I'm getting them weekly and sometimes more than once a week.

Facial Pain - From the middle of my cheeks (just under the sinuses) down to the middle of my neck, I have been feeling swollen and painful. It feels like I have my mouth stuffed with something and it's pushing my cheeks out and they are sagging with weight. I thought it might be caused by sinus problems, but I'm not having any. There is no sinus pain, no cold, no sinus or ear infection. It's not a searing pins and needles pain....its more like, gosh I don't know how to explain it....

A new symptom today is that my tongue is feeling tingling and numbness....that's never happened to me before. (even 7 years ago that didn't happen)

seara
seara you're not alone, MS or not, with these pains. I've suffered with what I called 'migraines' for years now. Over the counter pain relievers don't do a thing to 'relieve' them. I came to eventually be diagnosed in my case with Multiple Sclerosis, but prior to that I was diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia following several visits to a dental specialist. Dentist also diagnosed me with TMJ (tempomandibular joint disorder). (I've had migraines to my mother's knowledge since I was 6 years old.)

End result is a whole ton of pain. I go through periods of 'relief' where the pain is reduced greatly. If only that was the case all the time! The past few days, my left side of my face, from the top of the head, down to the cheek bone and into the cheek, as well as the right side of my tongue and to a lesser degree my right cheek, have felt like a wild fire of burning pain. Behind the burning pain is the dull roar of pressure pain, where it feels like your head is going to burst or is bigger than it actually is. Ugh!

For a long time I thought I had burning mouth syndrome. I quit smoking and the mouth pain calmed down, but never fully went away. Now I've come to accept in my case the burning (that is now worse in my head and face since quitting smoking) is the Trigeminal Neuralgia (affecting me bilaterally) and the MS. I've tried many medications, and for the burning the 1 that happens to work for me is Clonazepam (Klonopin in the US). Wish I didn't have to take it daily, but I'm in pain daily unfortunately. At least for now.

Anyways, I don't know if any of this sounds like what you're experiencing. You mention the neck as well. After I saw the dental specialist (who injected my neck/shoulders with Sarapin) and a chiropractor, that loosened up my muscles and the pain I was experiencing there.

Start small to rule things out that are easier to identify. Xrays and CTs. Full blood work up. If those things check out, then it's on to the bigger investigation... MRI. I'm unsure of your location, but I went through it this way because of medicare coverage (Canada) absorbing the costs of the testing.

Are you able to see any visual signs of changes to your face? You mention sagging with weight. Is that sensation only or can you see a sag? If you can visually see a sag, get to a neuro ASAP.

Good luck to you and keep us up to date on your progress.
__________________
2004 to present - Trigeminal Neuralgia
2007 to present - Burning Mouth Syndrome
March 2008 - Multiple Sclerosis DX
05/2008 - Relapse
05/2008 to 02/2009 - Copaxone
10/2011 - Relapse - Optic Neuritis developed
9/2012 - Relapse - Balance issues 1 sided
8/2012 - Erythema Nodosum - diagnosed 10/2012, reaction to Topiramate (Topamax)
April 7/14 - Raynaud's Syndrome DX
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