I started out having this pain in my face when I was in my 30s. Never knew what it was until I was much older and read about it. I finally noticed that I would almost always have an attack right after I wore pierced-ear earrings. I stopped wearing the earrings and now have very, very few attacks. I did have one minor attack recently near my jaw, but an extra-strength Tylenol mostly took care of that. This is miserable stuff.

I started out with a sinus infection that wouldn't go away. The next thing I know I'm having strong pain behind my left ear and down the left side of my throat. My left eye was also droopy and I had pain above the eye, maybe a slight numbness on the left side of my face. The doctor put me on Carbamazepine 200 mg. I have been increasing the dosage every three days but so far no decrease in pain but also no increase. No other symptoms so far and I see a neurologist in three weeks.

OH MY GOSH, this was pain WORSE than childbirth! I had a TN attack in all 3 areas. It starts as a toothache in the back of my mouth on the top. Then it gets worse. Once it started with an itchy nose. The pain BOLTED through my face and it felt like someone was reaching in and trying to pull my teeth out from the inside. Then my eye and cheek pulled and it felt like a CLAMP on my forehead on the left side. It was SURREAL.

I began experiencing the pain of TN when I was in my forties. At first I thought it was the result of a bad root canal but my dentist proved to me it wasn't. I went to my GP and he suggested TN and explained the treatments and I decided that the complications were not acceptable. Another doctor suggested it was the result of shingles although I had no visible outbreak. I would explain the symptoms as a half mask of tingling shocks on my face and behind my ear. Occasionally it continues up in my scalp and sometimes hot stabbing pain down my neck. Most of the time it feels like my face is being drawn backwards into a grotesque smile. Cold compresses on my neck and behind my ear occasionally relieve the constant pain. Any injuries on my face or in my mouth like dental work exacerbate the intensity of the pain so I warn the dentist before any dental work. I have also developed tendonitis in my shoulder which is sometimes agony as it joins the pain up to my head. I take Tylenol, drink calming teas and avoid stress. Rest is vitally important to maintaining my ability to tolerate the pain because any medications you take can harm other organs.

My pain started 11 years ago. It felt like labor pains-slow starting, rising to a crescendo then slowly fading to dull. Oddly if I rinsed the area with cold water, the pain subsided for a bit.

I was diagnosed with TN about 4 years ago. I was lucky that my nurse also suffered with this awful condition. My doctor was able to diagnose me during my first visit! I do not share all the symptoms that are listed here. When I have an attack, it feels like I have the worst toothache ever, both top and bottom - only on the left side. My jawbones also hurt like mad both top and bottom.

My daughter who is 10 years old has the symptoms of TN and we are in the diagnosing phase. It is really scary. So far nothing is helping, she just started on Gabapentin, which is making her dizzy and feel off with no relief as yet.

I had neck pain for a while and I thought it was due to sleeping wrong. Then I had suffered headaches from day to day. It was one evening at work I had stabbing pain in the left side, back of my head. I stayed at work thinking it was just another headache. The next morning they come more often and more painful. These sharp shooting pains in my head. I went to doctor and he started me on carbamazepine 100 mg. twice a day. Pain is gone, but I feel like a walking Zombie. I can't go on like this! I go back to doctor in a week, and hopefully he will have more answers for me.

I was first diagnosed with TN in 1999 at the age of 40. Went to various Neurologists in the US and was placed on different drugs for over 6 months. The drugs did not help at all with the pain and they caused major side effects including rashes, sleepiness to the point of not being able to drive or work. I had Gamma Knife Surgery in Atlanta, GA and was pain free for 10 years. The symptoms came back and I had a second Gamma Knife surgery two years ago. Now the pain is slowly coming back. I am now living in Melbourne, Australia and I am scheduled to see a neurosurgeon tomorrow to see what other options are available. The Gamma Knife surgery was wonderful. It was an easy procedure with just slight numbness in the face as its only side effect. I understand that I cannot have a third gamma knife procedure but I would take it if it were available. The last pain-free 12 years have been wonderful and I would urge any sufferer to investigate this procedure. Good luck to all who suffer from this horrible condition.