As many of you know, I've been having lots of issues since my surgery to shorten the 2 sides. Ear pain, tonsilar area pain and arm/shoulder pain mainly on the left side.
I have seen a specialist (maxillar and facial pain) Dr. She believes that in some cases the irritation on the glosofaryngeal nerve persists after surgery because the pain its on the memory of the nerve. She said I had the bone for so many years that the body still continue to send the pain signal to my brain.
She is treating me with "gabapentin" a medication that she assures helps to calm and heal the nerve.
She thinks I shoulden`t consider a second surgery.
Has anyone heard that the nerve "memorizes" the pain
People who've had limbs amputated can still 'feel' them afterwards, so I guess she might have a point? I'm sorry that you're still having problems after surgery, hope that the new medication helps.
Valeriana2013, I am in the same exact situation. I have had this for 15 years. My neurosurgeon thinks this be my problem also. Unfortunately, gabapentin doesn't work for me. I am considering other options. One is a spinal cord stimulator to combat my "nerve memory". When I decide what I am doing, I will share more. I am just not sure if that is the problem or if maybe I actually have a compression causing my glossopharyngeal neuralgia.
Hello Christian. When did you had the operation. 15 years ago?Was it internal or external way?
Christian22 said:
Valeriana2013, I am in the same exact situation. I have had this for 15 years. My neurosurgeon thinks this be my problem also. Unfortunately, gabapentin doesn't work for me. I am considering other options. One is a spinal cord stimulator to combat my "nerve memory". When I decide what I am doing, I will share more. I am just not sure if that is the problem or if maybe I actually have a compression causing my glossopharyngeal neuralgia.
I had a similar situation when I had my left side done initially. The main symptom I went in for was glossopharyngeal neuralgia. The doctor took part of the styloid off and I was better, but still having pain. Then I had a revision surgery and the GPN went away completely.
I think it's much more likely that the doctors didn't take enough of the styloid(s) out. It's not uncommon here on the forum for people to have revision surgeries. And they usually help a lot.
Doctors who aren't that familiar with Eagles often tell patients to manage the pain with medications and it usually doesn't work that well.
When I had the GPN, the only drug that worked for me to make it more manageable was Baclofen. We're all different so that may or may not work for you. Gabapentin didn't do much for me at all for any of the symptoms I had.
I do agree with heidemt.....However, in my case, I still have pain after removal of my entire stylohyoid ligament, part of my hyoid bone and have less than 1cm of my styloid left on my right side and still I have pain. So either I have nerve damage, compression somewhere else or it is my nervous system having "memory pain". I am just unsure which one.
What heidmt is saying about not removing enough is completely true too. Do you know how much (in length) you have left of each of your styloids? I know crmfghtr didn't have enough removed and is struggling with his symptoms from before surgery because they didn't remove enough.
Oh - yes - I should have added in my response that I think it's more likely the doctors didn't take enough of the styloid(s) out since Valeriana stated she had surgery " to shorten the 2 sides".
Christian22 said:
I do agree with heidemt.....However, in my case, I still have pain after removal of my entire stylohyoid ligament, part of my hyoid bone and have less than 1cm of my styloid left on my right side and still I have pain. So either I have nerve damage, compression somewhere else or it is my nervous system having "memory pain". I am just unsure which one.
What heidmt is saying about not removing enough is completely true too. Do you know how much (in length) you have left of each of your styloids? I know crmfghtr didn't have enough removed and is struggling with his symptoms from before surgery because they didn't remove enough.