• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.66-71
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• 2021

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia is a debilitating craniofacial pain syndrome that is characterized by paroxysms of intense, short-lived electric shock-like pains in the trigeminal nerve distribution. Recently, the presence of triggers has become one of the key diagnostic criteria in the 3rd edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Light touch is the most common trigger, however other non-mechanical triggers, such as cold weather and certain foods, have been thought to provoke trigeminal neuralgia anecdotally. We aimed to characterize the prevalence and characteristics of these atypical triggers. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study of atypical triggers in trigeminal neuralgia patients seen in a tertiary pain clinic in Singapore. Patients were recruited via clinic records, and study data were identified from physician documentation. Results: A total of 60 patients met the inclusion criteria. Weather triggers were observed in 12 patients (20%), of which five patients (8%) reported strong winds, 4 patients (7%) reported cold temperatures, and 3 patients (5%) reported cold winds as triggers. Fifteen patients (25%) had a specific food trigger, of which 10 patients (17%) reported hard or tough food, 5 patients (8%) reported hot/cold food, 4 patients (7%) reported spicy food, and 2 patients (3%) reported sweet food as triggers. Conclusions: Although trigeminal neuralgia is most commonly triggered by mechanical stimuli, atypical triggers such as cold temperatures and certain foods are seen in a significant proportion of patients. These atypical triggers may share a common pathway of sensory afferent Aδ fiber activation.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.159-163
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• 2016

Orofacial pain is a common complaint of patients that causes distress and compromises the quality of life. It has many etiologies including trauma, interventional procedures, nerve injury, varicella-zoster (shingles), tumor, and vascular and idiopathic factors. It has been demonstrated that the sympathetic nervous system is usually involved in various orofacial pain disorders such as postherpetic neuralgia, complex regional pain syndromes, and atypical facial pain. The stellate sympathetic ganglion innervates the head, neck, and upper extremity. In this review article, the effect of stellate ganglion block and its mechanism of action in orofacial pain disorders are discussed.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• 제40권
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• pp.21.1-21.5
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of treatment of non-odontogenic atypical orofacial pain using botulinum toxin-A. Methods: This study involved seven patients (seven females, mean age 65.1 years) who had non-odontogenic orofacial pain (neuropathic pain and atypical orofacial pain) and visited the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between 2015 and 2017. All medication therapies were preceded by botulinum toxin-A injections, followed by injections in the insignificant effects of medication therapies. Five of the seven patients received intraoral injections in the gingival vestibule or mucosa, while the remaining two received extraoral injections in the masseter and temporal muscle areas. Results: In five of the seven patients, pain after botulinum toxin-A injection was significantly reduced. Most of the patients who underwent surgery for dental implantation or facial nerve reconstruction recovered after injections. However, the pain did not disappear in two patients who reported experiencing persistent pain without any cause. Conclusions: The use of botulinum toxin-A for the treatment of non-odontogenic neuropathic orofacial pain is clinically useful. It is more effective to administer botulinum toxin-A in combination with other medications and physical therapy to improve pain.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.144-147
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• 2022

Chronic maxillary sinusitis is a common disease, with symptoms of dull, aching pain or pressure below the eyes and signs such as tenderness over the involved sinus, whereas trigeminal neuralgia is described as severe, paroxysmal, and lancinating brief pain limited in distributions of one or more divisions of trigeminal nerve. In cases where these two non-odontogenic toothache symptoms overlaps, the diagnostic process can be confusing. Here, we report a case of a 54-year-old male patient with chief complaints of intermittent, severe, and electric-like pain in the upper left premolar and first molar area, initially diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia but finally with maxillary sinusitis after pain recurrence 2 years after that. Therefore, thorough history taking and precise imaging interpretation should be considered to make correct diagnose especially in case of a patient with newly developed or altered or atypical symptoms.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.458-467
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• 2022

Background: Few studies have investigated unspecified or idiopathic pain associated with COIVD-19. This study aimed to provide the incidence rates of unspecified pain and idiopathic pain in patients with COVID-19 for 90 days after COVID-19 diagnosis. Methods: A propensity score matched cohort was used, including all patients with COVID-19 in South Korea, and analyzed their electronic medical records. The control group consisted of those who had not had tests for COVID-19 at all. Unspecified pain diagnoses consisted of diagnoses related to pain included in the ICD-10 Chapter XVIII. Idiopathic pain disorders included fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint disorders, headaches, chronic prostatitis, complex regional pain syndrome, atypical facial pain, irritable bowel syndrome, and interstitial cystitis. Results: After matching, the number of participants in each group was 7,911. For most unspecified pain, the incidences were higher in the COVID-19 group (11.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 11.0-12.5) than in the control group (6.5%; 95% CI, 6.0-7.1). For idiopathic pain, only the headaches had a significantly higher incidence in the COVID-19 group (6.6%; 95% CI, 6.1-7.2) than in the control group (3.7%; 95% CI, 3.3-4.1). However, using a different control group that included only patients who visited a hospital at least once for any reasons, the incidences of most unspecified and idiopathic pain were higher in the control group than in the COVID-19 group. Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 might be at a higher risk of experiencing unspecified pain in the acute phase or after recovery compared with individuals who had not had tests for COVID-19.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2016

The two distinctive clinical features of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are varicella (chickenpox) by primary infection and zoster (singles) by the reactivation of latent infection. In addition to the two typical clinical symptoms mentioned above, diverse clinical manifestations have been reported as a result of VZV reactivation, including chronic radicular pain without rash, visual loss, facial palsy, dysphagia, sore throat, odynophagia, otalgia, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, hemiplegia, etc. Most of these symptoms are derived from neuropathy and vasculopathy of affected nerves and arteries. Diagnosis of VZV disease can be difficult if there is no appearance of a skin rash during development of atypical symptoms. In addition to natural infection, vaccination and anti-viral agent treatment have influenced the changes of epidemics and clinical presentations of varicella and zoster. In this article, diverse clinical manifestations caused by VZV reactivation, particular without skin rash, are reviewed.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.225-230
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• 2007

Cholesterol granuloma is an unusual clinical entity described as an inflammatory granulation in response to the deposit of cholesterol crystals. It can develop in any portion of air cells within the temporal bone as a result of a lack of aeration and inadequate drainage, especially in the middle ear cavity. Here, we report very unusual three cases of cholesterol granuloma developed in mandible. In the first case a 68-year-old male with a large mass arising from the mandible was observed. Panoramic radiograph and computed tomography scans revealed a huge expanding lesion in the mandible. In the second case a 47-year-old female with a cystic lesion in the mandible was observed. And in the third case a 19-year-old male complaining atypical facial pain had a large lesion in the mandibular ramus. The histopathologic examinations of the cases showed numerous cholesterol crystals surrounded by multinucleated foreign body giant cells.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.197-205
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• 2009

신경병성 동통은 진단과 치료가 어려워 환자와 사회전반에 부담이 큰 질병이지만 이와 관련한 국내 보고는 많지 않다. 국내 신경병성 동통 환자의 유병률 연구에 이어 시행된 본 연구에서는 진료일수, 치료비, 수술 및 약제 사용 등의 치료 양태를 조사하고 신경병성 동통의 치료 영역에서 치과의 비중을 확인하고자 하였다. 연구를 위해 2003년부터 2005년까지 건강보험심사평가원의 전산시스템에 등록된 국내 보험 환자를 대상으로 다양한 신경병성 동통 질환(삼차신경통, 당뇨병성 신경병증, 포진후 신경통, 비정형 안면통, 설인신경통, 비정형 치통, 설통)을 주상병으로 하는 환자의 진료기록을 분석한 결과 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 당뇨병성 신경통이 가장 많이 내원하여 치료받았고, 환자 수는 포진후 신경통, 삼차신경통, 당뇨병성 신경통의 순서로 가장 많았다. 질병별로 각 진료과의 내원일수는 전반적으로 신경과, 신경외과, 마취통증의학과가 주로 많았는데, 특별히 증상 발현 부위가 진료과에 해당하는 경우 해당과의 내원일수가 높았다. 명세서 건당 치료비를 보면 마취과, 응급의학과가 전반적으로 많았으며, 재활의학과, 가정의학과가 높은 경향을 보였다. 치과는 삼차신경통, 비정형 안면통, 비정형 치통에서 다소 높은 치료비를 보였다. 많이 사용된 외과적 술식을 살펴보면 포진후 신경통과 당뇨병성 신경통에서는 다소 차이가 있으나 대부분 교감신경총 및 신경절 차단술, 척수신경말초지 차단술, 뇌신경 및 뇌신경말초 차단술이 주로 사용되었다. 치료약제는 비정형 치통과 설통의 경우 진통소염해열제가 절대적으로 많은 반면, 그 외 질환에서는 항전간제, 진통소염해열제, 정신신경용제가 주로 사용되었다. 이상의 결과로 보아 치과의 비중이 높은 신경병성 통증은 비정형 치통, 삼차신경통, 비정형 안면통이며, 환자의 수와 치료비의 전체적인 크기로 볼 때에는 삼차신경통의 규모가 치과에서는 가장 크다. 그러나 신경병성 동통 분야에서 여전히 구강내과를 포함한 치과의 역할이 부족한 상황이지만 치과전문의 제도 시행과 더불어 대국민 홍보와 적극적인 치료 참여를 통해 신경병성 동통 질환, 특히 삼차신경통, 비정형 치통, 비정형 안면통에 대한 치과의 역할과 비중을 높여야 할 것이다.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.29-37
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• 2012

Introduction: Fibrous-osseous lesions of the jaws are difficult to diagnose precisely until excised biopsy results are found, so they might be confused with malignant lesions. This clinical study focused on the diagnostic aids of lesions that demonstrate different clinical, radiologic, and histological findings. Materials and Methods: A total of 16 patients with benign fibrous-osseous lesions on the jaws (6 fibrous dysplasias, 6 ossifying fibromas, 3 cemental dysplasias, and one osteoblastoma) were reviewed. Nine patients with malignant fibrous-osseous lesions (8 osteosarcomas and one Ewing's sarcoma) were also retrospectively reviewed. Results: Osteosarcoma patients complained of facial swelling and tooth mobility. The radiographic findings showed the irregular resorption of cortical bone and periosteal reactions. Histological features included cellular pleomorphism and atypical mitosis. An Ewing's sarcoma patient complained of tooth mobility and facial swelling. Onion-skin appearance and irregular expansile marginal bony radiolucency were seen in the radiography. Fibrous dysplasia patients complained of facial swelling and asymmetry. The radiographic features were mostly ground-glass radiopacity. Histological findings showed a bony trabeculae pattern surrounded by fibrous ground substances. Ossifying fibroma patients complained of buccal swelling and jaw pains, showing expanded cortical radiolucent lesions with a radiopaque margin. Histological findings were revealed as cellular fibrous stroma with immature woven bones. In cemental dysplasia, most of their lesions were found in a routine dental exam. Well-circumscribed radiopaque lesions were observed in the radiography, and cementum-like ossicles with fibrous stroma were seen in the microscopy. An osteoblastoma patient complained of jaw pain and facial swelling. Radiographic findings were mottled, dense radiopacity with osteolytic margin. Trabeculae of the osteoid with a vascular network and numerous osteoblasts with woven bone were predominantly found in the microscopy. Conclusion: Our study showed similar results as other studies. We suggest the clinical parameters of diagnosis and treatment for malignant and benign fibrous-osseous lesions of the jaws.