Monday, 17 September 2012
DIFFICULTY FINDING A MOBILTY SCOOTER.
I did not realise it would be so difficult choosing a mobility scooter. I am a larger lady, (shall we say voluptuous!) and am tall, 5 foot 10 inches tall to be precise, although I have actually shrunk, I used to be a little under 6 foot tall and I have really long legs. My problem, in choosing a mobility scooter, has been the length of my legs. I thought I might go for a 4 wheel scooter this time, I wondered if it would feel safer and more stable, but the 4 wheel models have wheel arches in the place I would put my feet on my old 3 wheel scooter, so making me sit with legs bent under me which I found uncomfortable with my poor arthritic knees. I have only been looking for a short while, so I am as yet unaware if the wheelarch height differs, I shall have to try a lot more scooters before making my final choice, but if the wheelarch on the 4 wheel scooters is as high on all of them I am going to encounter problems as with my long legs I cannot comfortably sit with my feet on the wheelarches, as a shorter person would, because my legs are then bent up into an unnatural position! I may be forced to go for the 3 wheel model but I prefer the seat with the higher back which seems more comfortable and which appears to me, to have better back support and so I am a bit stuck. Sitting with legs bent for 5 minutes is perhaps okay, but for 15, 20 minutes with the legs in such an unnatural position would be too hard. I shall have to look around more, perhaps there are better alternatives out there, I have seen a scooter which resembles a motor bike, with 3 large wheels and which would probably be a very good option, but the price is out of my league, I may aswell learn to drive and use the car than pay out that kind of money! Hopefully I shall find the solution if I keep looking!
Sunday, 9 September 2012
Atypical trigeminal neuralgia caused by dental procedures.
Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia (ATN), or Type 2 Trigeminal Neuralgia, is a rare form of Trigeminal neuralgia, a disorder of the fifth cranial nerve. This form of neuralgia is difficult to diagnose, as it is rare and the symptoms overlap with several other disorders.[1] The symptoms can occur in addition to having migraine headache, or can be mistaken for migraine alone, or dental problems such as Temporomandibular joint disorder, musculoskeletal issues, or Hypochondriasis. ATN can have a wide range of symptoms and the pain can fluctuate in intensity from mild aching to a crushing or burning sensation, and also to the extreme pain experienced with the more common trigeminal neuralgia.
Symptoms
ATN pain can be described as heavy, aching, stabbing and burning. Some sufferers have a constant migraine-like headache. Others may experience intense pain in one or in all three trigeminal nerve branches, including teeth, ears, sinuses, cheeks, forehead, upper and lower jaws, "behind" the eyes, and scalp. In addition, those with ATN may also experience the shocks or stabs found in type 1 TN.
Many TN and ATN patients have pain that is "triggered" by light touch on shifting trigger zones. ATN pain tends to worsen with talking, smiling, chewing, or in response to sensations such as a cool breeze. The pain from ATN is often continuous, and periods of remission are rare. Both TN and ATN can be bilateral, though the character of pain is usually different on the two sides at any one time.
Causes
The trigeminal nerve.
ATN is usually attributed to inflammation or demyelination, with increased sensitivity of the trigeminal nerve. These effects are believed to be caused by dental procedures, infection, demyelinating diseases, or compression of the trigeminal nerve (by an impinging vein or artery, a tumor, or arterio-veinous malformation). An interesting aspect is that this form affects both men and women equally and can occur at any age, unlike typical trigeminal neuralgia, which is seen most commonly in women. Though TN and ATN most often present in the fifth decade, cases have been documented as early as infancy
Risks
Both forms of Facial Neuralgia are relatively rare, with an incidence recently estimated between 12 and 24 new cases per hundred thousand population per year.[3][4]
ATN often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for extended periods, leading to a great deal of unexplained pain and anxiety. A National Patient Survey conducted by the US Trigeminal Neuralgia Association in the late 1990s indicated that the average facial neuralgia patient may see six different physicians before receiving a first definitive diagnosis. The first practitioner to see facial neuralgia patients is often a dentist who may lack deep training in facial neurology. Thus ATN may be misdiagnosed as Tempormandibular Joint Disorder.[5]
Symptoms
ATN pain can be described as heavy, aching, stabbing and burning. Some sufferers have a constant migraine-like headache. Others may experience intense pain in one or in all three trigeminal nerve branches, including teeth, ears, sinuses, cheeks, forehead, upper and lower jaws, "behind" the eyes, and scalp. In addition, those with ATN may also experience the shocks or stabs found in type 1 TN.
Many TN and ATN patients have pain that is "triggered" by light touch on shifting trigger zones. ATN pain tends to worsen with talking, smiling, chewing, or in response to sensations such as a cool breeze. The pain from ATN is often continuous, and periods of remission are rare. Both TN and ATN can be bilateral, though the character of pain is usually different on the two sides at any one time.
Causes
Risks
Both forms of Facial Neuralgia are relatively rare, with an incidence recently estimated between 12 and 24 new cases per hundred thousand population per year.[3][4]
ATN often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for extended periods, leading to a great deal of unexplained pain and anxiety. A National Patient Survey conducted by the US Trigeminal Neuralgia Association in the late 1990s indicated that the average facial neuralgia patient may see six different physicians before receiving a first definitive diagnosis. The first practitioner to see facial neuralgia patients is often a dentist who may lack deep training in facial neurology. Thus ATN may be misdiagnosed as Tempormandibular Joint Disorder.[5]
Saturday, 8 September 2012
Well what an exciting day I have had today - not!!
Poor old hubby has had raging tooth ache for the last 3 days and despite a visit to the dentist on Thursday who told him there is nothing wrong with his tooth, he said it would settle down in a couple of days, then a visit to the doctor yesterday who gave him anti inflammatories and told him to put olive oil in his ears as there is some wax to come out, he had no sleep last night so another visit followed to the dentist today as he said the pain is worse than anything he has experienced before. His face is now swollen and he is having difficulty talking and the dentist still maintains there is no problem with the tooth, he said he may have an infection of the gum, and he has prescribed antibiotics. So he has been taking the anti inflammatories given to him by the doctor, his antibiotics given to him by the dentist, but as they have not taken off the pain he has also been taking my very strong pain killers which I have on prescription for my back. I know it is not a good thing to take other peoples prescribed medication but he was desperate and nobody seems to know the definate cause, or what to do to aleviate the pain. Even taking all these medications he still has the pain and does not know what to do with himself. The phrase "moaning for England" comes to mind but that is meant to be humerous, not that there is anything humerous about this situation, far from it. It is unusual to see him give in to things like this, so it must be hurting a lot.
I have been looking on the internet, perhaps not the best idea as you can tend to frighten yourself, and I am wondering if neuralgia fits the bill. Inflammation of a nerve, the symptoms for the type of neuralgia which affects the face seems to fit all the symptoms as he is describing them to me. The problem is,you can hardly go into a doctors surgery and say "I think I have neuralgia," in my experience Doctors do not like to be told the diagnosis from a patient, they like to make that decision of their own accord, and then ofcourse I could be wrong, and probably am, after all I have had no medical training and I am certainly not a doctor. Ofcourse it could be a case of an incompetent dentist, who should have diagnosed an infection or absess 3 days ago and prescribed antibiotics accordingly and as he did not do so the infection has well and truly taken hold. We just don`t know what to think. The xray he had at the dentist on Thursday apparently showed no problem but his face is swollen now, he says he can pinpoint which tooth is hurting so much, so perhaps it is a case that the infection or absess has taken too much of a hold and will take some beating. I hope to God there is some improvement really soon.
Poor old hubby has had raging tooth ache for the last 3 days and despite a visit to the dentist on Thursday who told him there is nothing wrong with his tooth, he said it would settle down in a couple of days, then a visit to the doctor yesterday who gave him anti inflammatories and told him to put olive oil in his ears as there is some wax to come out, he had no sleep last night so another visit followed to the dentist today as he said the pain is worse than anything he has experienced before. His face is now swollen and he is having difficulty talking and the dentist still maintains there is no problem with the tooth, he said he may have an infection of the gum, and he has prescribed antibiotics. So he has been taking the anti inflammatories given to him by the doctor, his antibiotics given to him by the dentist, but as they have not taken off the pain he has also been taking my very strong pain killers which I have on prescription for my back. I know it is not a good thing to take other peoples prescribed medication but he was desperate and nobody seems to know the definate cause, or what to do to aleviate the pain. Even taking all these medications he still has the pain and does not know what to do with himself. The phrase "moaning for England" comes to mind but that is meant to be humerous, not that there is anything humerous about this situation, far from it. It is unusual to see him give in to things like this, so it must be hurting a lot.
I have been looking on the internet, perhaps not the best idea as you can tend to frighten yourself, and I am wondering if neuralgia fits the bill. Inflammation of a nerve, the symptoms for the type of neuralgia which affects the face seems to fit all the symptoms as he is describing them to me. The problem is,you can hardly go into a doctors surgery and say "I think I have neuralgia," in my experience Doctors do not like to be told the diagnosis from a patient, they like to make that decision of their own accord, and then ofcourse I could be wrong, and probably am, after all I have had no medical training and I am certainly not a doctor. Ofcourse it could be a case of an incompetent dentist, who should have diagnosed an infection or absess 3 days ago and prescribed antibiotics accordingly and as he did not do so the infection has well and truly taken hold. We just don`t know what to think. The xray he had at the dentist on Thursday apparently showed no problem but his face is swollen now, he says he can pinpoint which tooth is hurting so much, so perhaps it is a case that the infection or absess has taken too much of a hold and will take some beating. I hope to God there is some improvement really soon.
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