Sympathetic activity-mediated neuropathic facial pain following simple tooth extraction: a case report

This is a report of a case of sympathetic activity-mediated neuropathic facial pain induced by a traumatic trigeminal nerve injury and by varicella zoster virus infection, following a simple tooth extraction. The patient had undergone extraction of the right lower third molar at a local dental clinic, and soon after the tooth extraction, she became aware of spontaneous pain in the right ear, right temporal region, and in the tooth socket. At our initial examination 30 days after the tooth extraction, the healing of the tooth socket was normal; however, the patient had a tingling and burning sensation (dysesthesia) and spontaneous pain of the right lower lip and the right temporal region, both of which were exacerbated by non-noxious stimuli (allodynia). The patient also showed paralysis of the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve, taste dysfunction, and increased varicella zoster serum titers. A diagnostic stellate ganglion block (SGB) 45 days after the tooth extraction using one percent lidocaine markedly alleviated the dysesthesia and allodynia. These symptoms are characteristic of neuropathic pain with sympathetic interaction. The patient was successfully treated with SGB and a tricyclic antidepressant.