N
No Numbness
Junior member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2013
- Messages
- 3
- Location
- Northeast USA
Since childhood I have had trouble with fainting from a number of medical and dental procedures:
- getting blood drawn while sitting up
- having an ingrown toenail numbed with freezing spray before removal
- having warts frozen off with liquid nitrogen
- getting an IV before wisdom tooth removal
- having a doctor manipulate a recently broken arm
As an adult I've been able to face my fears and have successfully had most of the above done without passing out (except for the broken arm, which I hope never to repeat!). I ask to lie down for blood draws, though I could probably have them done sitting up. I had several nitrogen treatments on a wart on the bottom of my foot, and it wasn't fun but I did ok.
The last problem is dental work. I have never done well with novocaine shots. It's not the pain of the injection; it's the numbness. In fact, I have even had a couple of shallow cavities drilled without anesthetic and preferred a little bit of pain to the numbness.
Unfortunately that wasn't possible when I recently had a filling redone on a lower tooth. Sitting in the waiting room, I wasn't that nervous. I thought of the progress I had made with other procedures. My dentist is very kind. I explained to her that I needed to lie fully down and that I didn't want to watch the needle going in. She did it perfectly, and I didn't feel a thing. But then the numbing sensation spread across my face, and immediately I felt my blood pressure crashing. I told myself that I was lying down and that I wouldn't faint. But actually I came very close to losing consciousness: stars in my vision, roaring sound in my ears, and covered in sweat. My dentist was concerned enough that she got a blood pressure cuff out. I forget what the number was, but she told me that I needed to see my doctor right away. At first she did not want to proceed with the filling, but after 5-10 minutes I recovered enough that she checked the pressure again and decided that it was OK to do it. She wants me to consult with a doctor before having any other dental treatments.
Probably I am facing a periodontic procedure before long to repair worn enamel on some of my teeth, and I am already becoming anxious about this. My dentist has suggested a prescription for a drug such as Xanax. Is this going to make a difference?
I have learned a lot from this website already, but I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks.
- getting blood drawn while sitting up
- having an ingrown toenail numbed with freezing spray before removal
- having warts frozen off with liquid nitrogen
- getting an IV before wisdom tooth removal
- having a doctor manipulate a recently broken arm
As an adult I've been able to face my fears and have successfully had most of the above done without passing out (except for the broken arm, which I hope never to repeat!). I ask to lie down for blood draws, though I could probably have them done sitting up. I had several nitrogen treatments on a wart on the bottom of my foot, and it wasn't fun but I did ok.
The last problem is dental work. I have never done well with novocaine shots. It's not the pain of the injection; it's the numbness. In fact, I have even had a couple of shallow cavities drilled without anesthetic and preferred a little bit of pain to the numbness.
Unfortunately that wasn't possible when I recently had a filling redone on a lower tooth. Sitting in the waiting room, I wasn't that nervous. I thought of the progress I had made with other procedures. My dentist is very kind. I explained to her that I needed to lie fully down and that I didn't want to watch the needle going in. She did it perfectly, and I didn't feel a thing. But then the numbing sensation spread across my face, and immediately I felt my blood pressure crashing. I told myself that I was lying down and that I wouldn't faint. But actually I came very close to losing consciousness: stars in my vision, roaring sound in my ears, and covered in sweat. My dentist was concerned enough that she got a blood pressure cuff out. I forget what the number was, but she told me that I needed to see my doctor right away. At first she did not want to proceed with the filling, but after 5-10 minutes I recovered enough that she checked the pressure again and decided that it was OK to do it. She wants me to consult with a doctor before having any other dental treatments.
Probably I am facing a periodontic procedure before long to repair worn enamel on some of my teeth, and I am already becoming anxious about this. My dentist has suggested a prescription for a drug such as Xanax. Is this going to make a difference?
I have learned a lot from this website already, but I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks.