Help! My husband is in excruciating pain.

[Pithlet]

He has a toothache, and lay down as soon as he got home from work. He just got up, and is in the worst pain I've ever seen him in. He called the dentist, and they won't see him, but they called in a pain rx (lortab) and Cipro. He says it doesn't even feel like he took anything for the pain. After some googling, it sounds like he has an abscess. Any advice, remedies for severe toothache? I feel so bad for him, and so helpless.

[Taverner]

1. is he taking ibuprofen? can he?

Sometimes they dont like it when you take that...see if you can take that and acitomenophen. You can mix those two together.

[Pithlet]

3. He already took 6 advil today, and

they have him on lortab now, which I think is pretty good stuff. That's what they gave me after I had the baby.

[agingdem]

42. This is from someone who...

has had more root canals than I care to remember...six advil in one day isn't going to do it...four at once and sometimes six dull the pain...why is he on cipro? Amoxicillan (500 mg) works better and my dentists insists I take two initially.

[GOPisEvil]

2. Ice, maybe?

It might help dull the pain some. :shrug:

There's no emergency dentist in town? You might look into that. It would be costly, but...it's an alternative.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. And ice pack might help

the best remedy will be the root canal, but until then - my sympathies! I had an abscess once, and it was fairly nasty, but at least I was able to get it taken care of before it got real nasty without having to wait over the weekend.

Wish I had a better solution, but I don't. Just empathy, and best hopes for the weekend.

[Bertha Venation]

9. yep, ice will probably help -- and NO HEAT!

NO HEAT -- it may soothe for a while, but it'll soon be throbbing, and hurting worse. :(

[gulfcoastliberal]

5. Herbal Medicine

If you know what I mean... plus have him take another lortab immediately. Lortab has acetaminophen in it already so don't take more tylenol!

[Pithlet]

10. Unfortunately

we don't have anything like that at the moment. I told him to take another lortab, but he won't because the rx says to take one.

[Bertha Venation]

6. if he can stand the taste, I suggest

that he hold an aspirin in his mouth, directly against the most painful area, with his tongue. It worked for me.

Of course take precautions -- aspirin could always be contraindicated when he's taking other things.

Make sure he completes the course of Cipro to kill the infection completely -- even after he's treated and the pain is gone.

I hope he feels better soon, P. He's in my prayers.

[Pithlet]

14. Thanks.

I do too. I'm going to check on some emergency dentists, just in casel.

[Wilber_Stool]

25. I tryed that too.

aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid. Acid. The dentist said it did more harm than good.

[LeighAnn]

26. Aspirin, orajel, & colloidal silver

Have him mix up a paste of aspirin and orajel and pack it right where it hurts. Colloidal silver has done miraculous things for me with tooth infections like that (just don't get in the habit of using it all the time or you'll turn blue). You can get it at the health food store.

[bacchant]

7. 2 Vicodin

should do the trick. But you should check with your doctor (I'm not qualified to dispense medical advise).

[debannbull]

8. this won't do you much good now, unfortunately, but...

I ALWAYS keep a spare narcaotic stashed away just for emergency toothache relief. You just never know, and yes, it is head pain of the worst kind, right up there with "ear infection" & "machete embedded in skull"

Sleep helps if you can find it.

[NYC]

11. Ice on the palm of the hand.

Can't hurt to try it. I have read that it should alleviate the pain when a root canal is needed. Good luck.

[hedda_foil]

12. Take him to the ER.

They'll be able to deal with the pain and check the abcess as well. It sounds like he needs to be seen NOW.

[greatauntoftriplets]

18. I agree with hedda.

Can you get someone to take care of the baby while you are gone?

[Pithlet]

34. Unfortunately, no.

And he won't go, anyway. I don't know the neighbors well enough, and my mom is taking care of my sick granmother and can't leave her.

[Pithlet]

36. Thanks, everyone.

He won't go to an ER right now, partly because he's stubborn, and partly because he doesn't want to wake up the kids and drag them to the ER.

I'm not going to let him suffer. He's going to the ER tomorrow if we can't get ahold of a dentist.

I've given him a meperdine (demoral) left over from when I had the baby, and that combined with the cold pack seems to be helping some.

[blm]

52. Holding a halfshot of peroxide in the mouth

for at least two minutes will take some of the throbbing away. It will feel real wierd at first but don't let that stop him.

[prolesunited]

23. I'll third that

If the abcess is as severe as it sounds, it can release all sorts of horrible toxins to his blood stream. In fact, there are cases where bacteria from an abcess can get into your heart muscle and do permanent damage.

I wouldn't mess around with it. Better safe than sorry. Let us know the outcome.

[liberalhistorian]

46. I agree, dental abscesses

need to be taken care of IMMEDIATELY, no matter what the obstacles are. Take the kids to the ER with you if you have to, but he's got to get that taken care of IMMEDIATELY, or he'll have far worse problems.

[Wilber_Stool]

13. I had one.

The only thing that will help is an antibiotic. You have to kill the infection before the tooth can even be extracted. I drank almost all of a 750 ml bottle of Rum and it didn't help. Good luck.

[eleonora]

15. I forgot the name of it

It's a really good anesthetic you can get off the counter, in liquid form you massage on the gum and teeth....it ends with "ol" I think..damn I can't believe I forgot the name

[Wilber_Stool]

16. Ambisol. Doesn't work. n/t

[Skittles]

49. well no doubt it doesn't work on ALL pain

but it has helped me before.

[eleonora]

17. Ambesol!

It's really potent and acts fast!! Use the dentist strenght. It worked wonders with me.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

19. Pithlet...I was disharged from surgery on two extra strength

vicodins every four hours....call the doc's office if you have any concerns but I think he could probably take two safely until you get in to see the doc.

[crimson333]

29. I second that I had a kidney stone and took 2 500 mg lortab

every 4 hours

[THX1138]

20. I had an abscess

so bad last week the only way I could stave off the pain was taking Vicodin (Lortab) ON TOP of 800 mg ibuprofin. I took a Vicodin, then staggered two hours later with Ibuprofin. Not all that great for my stomach I assume but it worked. He may want to try upping the ibuprofin, up to 800 mg (4 pills) at a time is a safe dose (assuming they are 200 mg tabs). I've found Ibuprofin is the best over the counter remedy for tooth pain. Tylenol and aspirin do nothing for me.

[dweller]

21. acupressure point

Have him apply pressure with thumb and forefinger to the skin flap between the thumb and forefinger of the opposite hand. You can actually apply both hands on the other at the same time.

have him keep it up while you continue to look for medical attention for him.

good luck
dp

[moof]

22. Ice water

Keep a supply of iced water with a straw and have him hold the water
around the area of pain with his cheek and or tongue. It wonn't stop it competely but it has been used with great effect here at the moof hut. The main problem is keeping the cold water replaced and held in place as sleep interfers with your efforts. It takes about 12 to 18 hours for the nerves/brain effort to give up. That is the experience here anyway.

Haven't tried it but some say music supplied via headphones can help to overload the nerve pathways.

Good luck and sympathies to you.

[haele]

24. Hugs...

I've had a broken tooth (down to the root!) before without real dental coverage a few years back. I found the best thing (along with a dentist that didn't charge an arm and a leg for some sympathy, a prescription, and pulling the tooth after the infection subsided) is ice about every other hour and the precribed pain meds, and the anti-biotic taken as directed.
I also found that Clove oil or a crushed clove is the best topical application to the tooth itself (use a cotton swab and don't put on the gum!)while the ice is taking effect - a RiteAid or Walgreens might have a small bottle. You shouldn't need to apply the clove oil more than three times a day - and don't swallow it.

Have him lay down with head slightly raised to keep the throbbing down.

If everything goes well, between the meds and the ice he should be feeling a bit better in about two days - enough that he should still have half the prescription of lortab left. Just don't stop taking the anti-biotic until after the two weeks.

We're feeling for him out here...

Haele and Laz

[Pithlet]

37. Clove oil! That's it.

I talked to a nurse on a hotline, and she had recommended that, but I couldn't remember the name. I'm going to go out and try to find some.

Thanks, guys.

[KG]

27. find another dentist!!! there are those that work w/es and do emergency

work.

[kstewart33]

28. Don't let him suffer through the weekend

Take him to the ER. They can surely do something better than lortab and cipro. It makes no sense to suffer through the weekend with that kind of pain. I had a friend who once had a terrible toothache over the weekend. She simply drank Scotch which put her out. But I wouldn't do that given he's on pain meds.

Just drive him to the ER. You will feel greatly relieved and he will feel better.

[cally]

30. I'm so sorry

I agree with others that he needs medical attention tonight if he's in that much pain.

I've heard that putting a tea bag on the tooth helps alleviate tooth pain.

[KittyWampus]

31. Good God, Get Him To The EMERGENCY ROOM!!!!

abcessed tooth could lead to blood poisoning and death.

I know someone who almost died due to an abscess/blood poisining.

If someone is in that much pain SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AT ONCE!

[DS1]

32. Break his thumbs, that'll take the pain away

from his mouth anyway.

[RoyGBiv]

33. This doesn't always work, but...Listerine

I had an abscessed tooth some time ago, and I found the only thing that would dull the pain even for a little while was Listerine. The reason this works is that the pain caused by an abscess is due to the infection, and the Listerine kills some of the infection.

Yes, I know, it sounds weird, and in truth, it hurts a bit when you first use it, but comparatively, not all that much.

I got myself a bottle of the stuff...would sip some, let it sit in my mouth until the burn died, then spit. I had to repeat this a lot, like every few minutes, until the major pain died down.

This got me through until I could see the dentist.

OnEdit: My deepest sympathies. The pain from an abscess is truly the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life.

[The Traveler]

35. Yo! Here are some suggestions:

1) Sure its an abcess? I had a pop corn kernel under a gum once ... thought sure it was an abcess and that I was gonna die.

2) Peroxide. Bubbles crap out.

3) Clove and garlic. Smush 'em up together and steep in boiling water. Use a tea ball if ya got one. Take some of the wet (very wet) mash and put it on the tooth. Should take the inflammation down pretty damn quick. (Wife is an herbalist ... seen this work for others.)

4) Make sure the stuff is cold/room temperature or so when ya do! No heat!

Best of luck with this.

Rob

[DU GrovelBot]

38. ## Support Democratic Underground! ##

==================
GROVELBOT.EXE v2.0
==================
 
The time now is 11:14:57PM EDT, Friday, May 14, 2004.
 
There are exactly...
2 days,
0 hours,
45 minutes, and
3 seconds left in our fund drive.
 
This website could not survive without your generosity. Member donations 
pay for more than 84% of the Democratic Underground budget. Don't let
GrovelBot become the next victim of the Bush economy. Bzzzt.
 
Please take a moment to donate to DU right now. Thank you for your support.
 
- An automated message from the DU GrovelBot

Click here to donate.

[Pithlet]

39. Thanks, everyone.

I did a thanks everyone post, but I accidently replied to my own post further up instead of a general reply.

He won't go to an ER right now, partly because he's stubborn, and partly because he doesn't want to wake up the kids and drag them to the ER.

I'm not going to let him suffer. He's going to the ER tomorrow if we can't get ahold of a dentist.

I've given him a meperdine (demoral) left over from when I had the baby, and that combined with the cold pack seems to be helping some.

[ulysses]

41. tell him Mini-Kev and the little one won't mind.

Kev, get your ass to the ER!

[cally]

43. I second that

I once had to wake my kids and take my husband to the emergency room at almost exactly the age your kids are (4 and 1 for me at that time). They were amazingly well behaved and fell asleep in the stroller in the waiting room. I imagine you will try to relieve the pain for awhile, but if you are unsuccessful then just go.

[gate of the sun]

40. I had an abcess not too long ago

and the ole lortab just wasn't doing it. I put really really hot water on a wash cloth an put it on the spot where it hurt. I also took a homeopathic for nerve pain which surprisingly helped for a little while. I once had an abcess and I had taken 3 percocets and it helped not at all I thought I would die. My face swelled up like crazy and managed to get to the morning and it stopped hurting and then later that day they pulled it. It was terrible. I send my sympathies.

[Rabrrrrrr]

44. So what's the story, Pithlet?

What happened over night and this morning?

[Pithlet]

47. He's spending the day in bed

knocked out by painkillers. The tooth is getting better, so he's going in to the dentist on Monday. He still won't go to an ER.

Thanks everyone for the advice. We tried a few things that seemed to work, so you guys helped a lot. DUers are the greatest :loveya:

[Rabrrrrrr]

57. I'm happy to hear it!

I was hoping it hadn't gotten worse.

[skooooo]

45. oooh....a toothache....

...sorry he's in pain...glad it's just his tooth and nothing more.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
From someone who had to watch a relative go through some major pain before he died.

[Pithlet]

48. Thanks,

Yeah, I know it could be much worse, like what BigBigBear is going through with his wife right now.

[davsand]

50. Ohhh--sorry to hear he's hurting!

Somehow it is easier to deal with my own pain than it is to watch kevsand or Material Girl in pain. I can only imagine how you are BOTH feeling right now.

Hang in there, and give him a big hug... I'll be thinking of you guys and sending good thoughts out to you!

Laura

[Pithlet]

51. Thanks, Laura

He's feeling better, but zonked out from pain meds. :hug:

[brook]

53. Glad to hear...

he's zonked for now. That pain is horrible!

I have had many abcesses. Once I went to a naturopathic shop and got Aromatheraphy Blend #3-by Tifret. I used it like you would smelling salts and found it effective.

Recently I had a couple of abcess 'wanna-bes' - and found that taking an echinacea/golden seal tablet twice a day for a day or two completely stopped the process.

Take good care.

[TrogL]

54. booze

Hell, it works for me.

[AngryAmish]

55. I'll second the booze

I drink a lot and I have never had an abcess.

[MrSlayer]

56. Vanilla Extract!

Put some directly on the area. Trust me this works.