Has anyone ever had Shingles in the mouth? I had a few days of facial pain and then developed a very painful mouth with blisters on one side. My GP sent me to the Dental Hospital and they said it was probably Shingles. I have been given anti viral tablets and it is easing off a bit now, but it has been total agony. I often get facial pain due to MS anyway, so I didn’t think much of it. I had Chicken Pox twice when I was a child, which was very unusual according to my GP at the time. I hope I am not going to be plagued with Shingle attacks now on top of everything else. Does anyone else have a problem with this? Many thanks to anyone who replies.
Hi, So sorry to hear about your shingles - yes l have had it very badly now three times. The first time was in my mouth - and like you the GP sent me to the Dental Hospital. They said straightaway it was shingles. l had all the students examining my mouth as the Dentist in charge said he had not seen anything like it for years. Not that that made me feel anymore special. Sensodyne toothpaste rubbed into the gums and cheek is the best help for the nerve pain. l was convinced l had some awful gum disease and would lose all my teeth on the one side - so it was a relief to get a diagnosis. Because l could not eat very well l did lose a lot of weight - so there was an ‘up’ side.
Just to cheer you up - shingles does seem to be connected with auto-immune diseases and of course ms. Lots of the good folk on here
have had shingles or glandular fever prior to a dx of ms. lf your GP - like most does not know much about MS - l expect he/she will not agree.
But over the last couple of years - on this forum - it has been discussed several times. So l expect you will get more help.
The last time l had shingles - this time under my arm and over my right boob - [so painful] my GP put me on amitriptyline and l used the toothpaste idea again - which does work!
Hope this has helped - and l can really sympathise with how you are feeling.
F.
Hi, I had shingles on my face and head which set off the MS symptoms that led to dx. I have my own theory on this… that MS can put the body under such enormous stress that it causes shingles. It’s kind of your body’s way of saying ‘if you won’t slow down, I’ll find a way of slowing you down’.
Now as my theory is based on absolutely no scientific evidence whatsoever… … it might be a load of old cr*p! However think about if you have been pushing yourself, ignoring symptoms, not getting enough rest… and if it’s possible that’s what’s caused shingles. OH please don’t get me wrong… not in any way suggesting it’s your fault… I just think it might be a response thing going on.
My episode of shingles was in Jan 2006 and have not had them since, so fingers crossed, they don’t always come back.
The sensitive toothpaste tip is very good and can be used on skin not just inside mouth.
Take care and thinking of you,
Pat x
My experience with shingles is very similar to PatB’s - it was an attack of shingles round my middle, followed a couple of months later by MS symptoms that started there and spread, that first took me the doctor. I was diagnosed later that year. Is there a link? Who knows, but in my case there seems to be some circumstantial evidence - I’ve always wondered, and suspected it acted as a kind of viral trigger. I’ve not had shingles since. Many people with MS will have had shingles, but that is what you would expect - shingles is a very common illness. Who knows what, if any, link there is. Time will tell, I expect.
There is a prescription only cream called Axsain which is mainly prescribed for post-shingles pain (I hope you don’t get any) and diabetic neuropathy, but is also good for some MS neuropathic pain. I didn’t need it after the shingles, but have found it helpful from time to time since then. Worth considering if the shingles pain hangs around, perhaps? You would need to be awfully careful to keep it away from your eyes, though - it’s made of chilli peppers!
Alison
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