Hi, welcome to the forum - I'm sure someone will come along shortly to give you more helpful info than I can, but I like to respond to newbies as soon as I can because I know they are usually horrified with their new diagnosis. You will find the folks here to be the most caring and helpful on the net.

To respond to your specific question - yes, I have seen many posts here describing your same pain. It seems that TN can strike any area of the face or head, so you were probably diagnosed with Atypical TN. My pain is centered directly in my right ear and the immediate area surrounding it. Pain is a constant, hot, boring pain deep in my ear with intermittent ice pick jabs. In addition, the surrounding area is very tender to the touch and talking, eating, turning my head, or God forbid, SMILING increases the pain.

Fortunately, my episodes are sporadic and I do not have to take meds on a daily basis - just when I get an episode. They are occuring more frequently lately about once a week or so and usually last about 4 hours. Heat applied to the side of my head helps the pain better than the tegretol.

So, I would suggest that you go to the beginning page of the TN forum and read the stickies and do some searches for your kind of pain and I am sure you will see a few that sound much like yours.

Take care and try not to panic - I will be thinking of you and praying for you and all of those here that suffer with this monster.

Rhonda