I went to the doctors a few weeks ago because of pain on the left side of my brain. I went to have an MRI done because they could not pinpoint what it could possibly be. Had an MRI done, nothing shows up. Nothing. Thinking I could just ignore the pain, I tried. Yesterday, it came back to the point where it made me stop whatever I was doing. Although it has happened before, it felt like it was going up and down, from my brain, to the jaw(it never went down to the jaw area).

After having the MRI done and nothing show up, all it did was make me feel like a liar. But at the same time, trying to live with this pain isnt the best or smartest idea anymore.

I don't know what to do. I am fairly young, and just do not know what to do at this point. I know living with it is becoming less of an option, especially if it can make me stop whatever I am doing. While the pain has been going on for few months now, it seems that it is starting to get more "aggressive". Wasn't nearly as bad when it first started.

Could this possibly be TN, something else, or just nothing at all ?

Try to describe the pain in detail..is it constant or episodic, and in exactly which areas of your face? MRIs don't show everything, including TN.... I felt stupid also when docs kept telling me there was evidence of nothing, I went through a very stressful period where I saw over 10 physicians...many of them looked at me like I was crazy, as if i enjoy pretending to be in pain. This made me very angry and confused... the healthcare system became my enemy. I saw a group of dentists, a few family docs, orthodontist, tmj expert, ear/nose/throat- who stuck a camera past by broken septum to look into my throat, also prob the worst doc ive ever met with, no compassion seemed to think i was making it up or exaggerating greatly- his final diagnosis was take acid reflux meds..thanks jerk. Finally I switched my dentist for about the 5th time and she actually was very concerned, sent me immediately to the same oral surgeon who removed my wisdom teeth when I was a kid, he did some quick tests, also found nothing and said "gotta be nerves" sent me to neuro where i was diagnosed atypical TN.

have you seen a neurologist? If not i recommend so.

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To me, they feel like strong electrical shocks. The worse thing is that they are random. I don't have any idea when it is going to happen nor do I have any control over it. To me, they seem more episodic than constantly going. The best way I can describe as what part of the face is the cheek/jaw area, sorry if I can't describe it right, I am kind of at a lost with this right now..

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To me, they feel like strong electrical shocks. The worse thing is that they are random. I don't have any idea when it is going to happen nor do I have any control over it. To me, they seem more episodic than constantly going. The best way I can describe as what part of the face is the cheek/jaw area, sorry if I can't describe it right, I am kind of at a lost with this right now..[/Q

My shocks are random and I can't always tell what sets them off. One day I can take of sip of coffe, the next it occurs while I'm eating, and then it just happens for no obvious reason, at least to me, and other times it goes off because my expression has changed. Over the years I've just accepted that it happens when it happens. Control is way beyond my grasp. Be thankful that your MRI doesn't show anything. These are done to rule out other causes such as tumors and MS, etc...and if nothing showed, thats good. The doctors still feel that most cases of TN are caused by compressions by veins and arteries to the nerve in the brain stem. There are supposed to be some MRI's that can detect these, but those are not common(whether its the machine or software and use of dyes, I don't know, I just know that not every place has them). It sounds like your pain is traveling along the path of the fifth cranial nerve. If you google the nerve, you'll get images that further define the areas served by it and that can give you a frame of reference. Did you see a neurologist? If not, I'd suggest that you get an appointment with one and discuss this with them. If it is TN, there are medications that can help with the pain. Hang in there.

[QUOTE=EE03;803935]
I need to make an appt. with a Neurologist soon. While I am grateful that nothing such as tumors or MS showed up on my MRI, I still have a whole bunch of questions to ask and not enough answers. I also forgot to add that it has caused me to twitch, not in every episode, but some. I am not sure if that narrows it down alittle more, but it was just something I forgot to add.

[QUOTE=Jshorty;803979]I get twiches (tics) as well. I've been told that the muscles get tired or overworked from the nerve firing too much. My face has swelled at times to and this is also related to nerve activity. Check out the TNA's(Trigmenal Neuralgia Asso.) website as there is a lot of information there that could be helpful to you at your neuro appointment and take a list of questions with you so you can get some answers. Take care and post what you find out after your appointment.