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Differentiating Acute Pains

 CONDITION: Odontalgia (tooth ache)

NATURE: Stabbing, throbbing, nonepisodic

TRIGGERS: Hot, cold, tooth percussion

DURATION: Hours-days

 

CONDITION: Trigeminal neuralgia

NATURE: Lancinating, eletrical, episodic

TRIGGERS: 1-2 mm locus on skin/mucosa, light touch triggers pain

DURATION: Seconds

 

CONDITION: Cluster headache

NATURE: Severe ache, retroorbital component, episodic

TRIGGERS: REM sleep, alcohol

DURATION:30-45 min

 

CONDITION: Acute otitis media

NATURE: Severe ache, throbbing, deep to ear, nonepisodic

TRIGGERS: Lowering head, barometric pressure

DURATION: Hours-days

 

CONDITION: Bacterial sinusitis

NATURE: Severe ache, throbbing in multiple posterior maxillary teeth, nonepisodic

TRIGGERS: Lowering head, tooth percussion

DURATION: Hours-days

 

CONDITION: Cardiogenic

NATURE: Short-lived ache in left posterior mandible, episodic

TRIGGERS: Exertion

DURATION: Minutes

 

CONDITION: Sialolithiasis

NATURE: Sharp, drawing, salivary swelling, episodic

TRIGGERS: Eating, induced salivation

DURATION: Constant low-level ache, sharp brief episodes when triggered