Nenu

Here's my story. I have been diagnosed with TMJ and Trigeminal Neuralgia. At least this is the suspected at this time, since I have yet to see a neurologist (this is yet to come).

My dentist is in the field of chronic facial pain and treatment, mostly associated with TMJ (my mother also has this, so no shock that I do as well). I have battled with terrible migraines since childhood, and chronic facial pain since 2001.

The dentist also has training/experience in the area of neuropathy. He is the one that suspects TN.

Since I got really bad (January 2007, I woke up in convulsions and this was my breaking point, and start of my leave from work and trek through various doctors) I have gone through a lot of different symptoms. For a very long time, I have had a faint but noticeable foul taste in my throat/mouth. This began around February 2007. I went through about 2 months where I was dizzy constantly. I found relief through taking Serc (relieved the symptoms to about 70% of what they were without the Serc) but I still experienced difficulties with my vision (double vision for example, I would see 2 televisions sitting on my couch a few feet away). When the vision difficulty originally began, I was so dizzy it impaired me. I saw text dripping on my computer screen. I would see my phone book levitating off my coffee table. Spooky stuff.

The vision difficulties began to subside, and then I got my TMJ splints to wear. 2 days after I began wearing these, i lost my sense of taste and smell. 2 weeks following this, I began experiencing what I believe is burning mouth syndrome. This is agonizing. Brushing my teeth relieves the numbness/burning for a period, and then it returns. First thing in the morning, I either have very faint symptoms of this, or like this morning, the burning is there when I wake up.

I go to a chiropractor who works closely with my dentist for my TMJ. He is confused about this burning mouth syndrome, but believes it is due to the TN. My dentist and another dentist I visited believe that the burning mouth is the TN.

This is the thing however. While the burning mouth is mostly on the right side of my tongue/mouth, I get a slight tingling occasionally around the left corner of my mouth/lips. The foul taste has picked up with the burning mouth syndrome it seems.

I am patiently waiting for the neurologist referral at this point, but I am obviously very concerned. I have tried to find information online about TN and burning mouth syndrome. Of course, I am then wading through many different and lengthy articles by doctors. I just want to hear from real people who have experienced something similar for insight. Stress is the last thing I need at this time if I am hoping to get better.