Can AD become gradual? Is it the entire face? Do you get dull pain in the back of the head?

Do you mean can AD, Anesthesia Dolorosa, come on gradually?

Yes, sorry that's what I meant.

My understanding of AD is that it is caused by damage to the nerve. Most often it is due to surgeries or procedures or sudden injury. However, if the damage occurs over time, then I would assume that it can come on gradually. Perhaps if you were injured, had a bony protuberance from an injury, then the nerve could be injured over a period of time by the protuberance. Normally, though, when I think of gradually coming on, I think TN. Also, you asked if it covers the whole face. It does not have to cover the whole face but the numbness will cover the whole area of pain. Does that make sense? If that is the right side of your face, then it would be the right side. But I am going by what I picked up about AD when I read about TN, and I noticed that even on the well respected medical sites, there seemed to be some vagueness in the two conditions and how they are different....at least to me. Were you diagnosed with AD?

Thank you for replying. Im currently searching for a diagnoses. I made the mistake of going to a new dentist, I had a root canal done in January and thats when my nightmare began. The next day I got hot and cold flashes on the left side of the face, then my face became numb. doctor thought it was a minor case of bells palsy however I had no droop. I was given methylpredisoe and acyclovir, my face felt tighter so I stopped the meds a few days ahead of time. well I got severe anxiety( im prone to anxiety). My face seeem to calm down and didnt seem to flare up only if I took anytype of medication. I had to have a crown lengtheing which I did and regret. A week later I felt tightness mostly on the left side, also a tightband on my forehead and also as if I have a chin strap. Eventually the tooth came out because thee root canal was done poorly. While taking lexapro and these dental procedures I notice that my nose dried out. Went to two ents and they saw nothing they said it was allergies however its not. No medicaton works and had no problems until that root canal. Fustrated because Ive gone through every test MRI , MRA and catscans. They saw minor sinusitis , I took antibiotics and no differencce as far as my nose. I had tissue rection in my sinus due to the tooth but that went down after the extraction no difference in the nose. One neurologist said it was an anxiety reaction due to an injection and it would go away. The second said I had abnormal waves on one side of my head but didnt know how to diagnose me and wanted me on keppra which Im not taking. Not taking seizure medicaton when I did not have a seizure. Also she blame my mom for having an anxiety disorder. I will going to the third neurologist soon. I have the same symptoms plus there are times that i do get burning prickly sensations but not to the point of being painful. So Im afraid that all this will eventually turn into pain. My heart goes out to everyone here with TN and AD. Im having a hard time with just these symptoms cant imagine if pain was added. So Im scared about the facial nerves and also my sinuses. I breathe differently through my nose with discomfort. I wish someone could tell me whats wrong so I could manage. Thanks so much for your help.

[QUOTE=kidgie;812244]Thank you for replying. Im currently searching for a diagnoses. I made the mistake of going to a new dentist, I had a root canal done in January and thats when my nightmare began."

Kidgie, I am so sorry for everything you are going through. I don't blame you for being alarmed and upset. It is awful to suddenly be bombarded with a host of symptoms that cannot be readily explained. May I ask why you were getting the root canal? Many of us had root canals that were, in hindsight, actually not needed and were already the beginnings of TN.
Your anxiety attack may have been aggravated by ending the steroids too abruptly (if I understand correctly). Steroids must be gradually tapered off in most cases. Of course, the whole situation is an anxiety provoker for anyone! TN does sound like a possibility since you have some of symptoms, including the tight feeling that I have, too. The seizure medication works for TN, but you have to be on it to know for sure. There is no real test for TN beyond ruling out some things and trying the meds. (I do not know from what you said if you took them?) For the dry nose, might I suggest Mucinex 12 hour and saline nasal spray used frequently? I have Sjogren's Syndrome, and extreme dryness is a side effect. Also, Afrin makes a moisturizing nasal spray you can use before bed to make sleep a bit easier. However, okay all of this with your doctor. I am just a mom, not a doctor. As for being concerned, of course you are. And as my own son has an anxiety disorder, I understand how hard it is to process everything with it. Having anxiety does not mean anxiety should become the automatic diagnosis just because a condition is not easily diagnosed. However, some things take time to be diagnosed and sometimes the nerve problems really can resolve themselves. Nerves take time heal if they have been bruised...for lack of a better word. Treat your symptoms for now, keep your doctor appointments, and stay with us.Hopefully, with time, it will all make sense.