Facial pain, weird sensations jaw, cheeks, forehead, neck.

Hello, I posted last year when I was experiencing numbness in my left leg, sensation of walking on sponges, buzzing in my hands and various other symptoms. I was referred to a neurologist. By the time I saw him most of the symptoms had subsided. He did a few tests (no MRI or lumbar puncture). I fell over on the heel to toe walking but that didn’t seem to concern him. He said it undoubtedly had a neurological cause but that I was probably one of those people who experience those types of symptoms but never find a cause. He thought there was no reason for concern.

Here I am, still with intermittently numb feet but now something new too. On Saturday evening I was aware of an odd sensation around my jaw. I have been having some pain on eating in my right jaw for a week or two. I went to bed, didn’t get much sleep because of discomfort in my jaw and cheeks. It persisted all day yesterday and today is worse. My face is painful to the touch, I cannot open my mouth or eat without pain. Chewing is very difficult. The sensation of pressure and pain on touching has spread to my ears, the sides of my forehead and the back of my neck. I am thinking this is trigeminal neuralgia.

I’m not sure what to do. Should I go back to my GP and ask for a referral to a different neurology department? I was offered a choice of three and chose the one nearest to me but have since found there is a neurologist in another hospital not too far away who is very good with MS patients. Should I go back to the original neurologist and skip past my GP? Or should I sit it out and see how the symptoms pan out?

Many thanks, Helen

hi helen

you are in discomfort so see your gp and explain how you are feeling.

conventional painkillers may or may not help but give them a try.

also ask about a referral to the other neurology dept.

if the conventional painkillers don’t help your pain then this might be another hint at neurological disorder.

it really is horrible to be in such limbo.

good luck

carole x

Thanks, Carole. I am feeling absolutely shattered today. I run a Parent/Carer and Toddler group on Tuesday and Thursday mornings so it was hectic but it did help to take my mind off the pain in my face. I went to do a bit of shopping on the way home but had to get my husband to come and get me as I couldn’t have walked the ten minute journey home. Back to the doctor it is then.x

Hi Helen

I agree with Carole, get a referral to the MS specialist neuro if possible. Given that the original neurologist didn’t seem terribly interested, and you’ve had no neurological tests beyond the initial examination, it seems it might be better to start from scratch with someone else.

Your symptoms don’t necessarily mean that you have MS, but it certainly seems that you should have them further explored by a neurologist.

Best of luck.

Sue

Hi Sue, thank you. Yes, I am going to try to get a referral to the neuro my friend recommended. I’ll post on the forum with the outcome.