Severe pain after root canal treatment

[SGL2193]

Hey
So long story short, I only became scared of going to the dentist about 2 years ago after bad treatment from my dentist. I have needed root canal treatment done in this time but I am genuinely terrified so haven’t been able to go. I developed pain last week and an abscess over the weekend so unfortunately had to go for emergency root canal treatment today. It was horrible, and now after it I’m in extreme pain, more than I was before the treatment. Is this normal?
I don’t know how to live like this, in severe pain. I need to go back for more treatment but I feel even more scared now. What can I do to take the pain away? I honestly just can’t live like this anymore.

 

[Enarete]

Hi SGL2193,

oh, wow this sounds horrible, I'm so sorry you are in so much pain. I don't know what exactly was done in the er, but what came to my mind first was that what was done at the emergency dentist may not have been a proper root canal treatment yet, but rather the prep for it that is done when a tooth is acutely infected.
I am not sure how long it takes though for the pain to get less and it will depend a lot on what exactly was done, but I'm afraid it can take up to two days or so until the pain is gone. Are painkillers helping in any way? And have you gotten antibiotics or any further instructions on when the pain should subside and how soon you should go to the dentist?
If it helps, emergency treatments are usually not great so if you have a dentist you usually go to and who will do the actual root canal treatment, it will be better. Also, at that point you won't be in pain so it won't be as distressing as this time. Do you have a dentist you trust and who you could see soon?

All the best wishes