Thanks for taking the time to visit my just giving page.

Little bit of background:

At the start of 2024 I began to get severe stabbing and throbbing pains in my bottom molar teeth. After many unsuccessful procedures at the dentist, numerous trips to the urgent care centre at Guys, and two and a half stone lost within six weeks (see cover photo) I finally saw a dental specialist who diagnosed me with a rare condition called 'idiopathic pain (intraoral)' or 'atypical odontalgia'.

This is a condition where the brain starts and then continually sends pain signals to the teeth and gums without there being any cause/clinical reason. It is classed as a chronic pain condition, is predominantly found in women aged 40 and above , and is currently treated using strong doses of anti-depressants/anti-convulsant medication to very limited levels of success (these medications are meant to slow down pain signals from the brain).

All in all the condition makes daily life pretty difficult. The pain is often extremely distracting and limits what activities I now feel comfortable doing, especially in the evening. The tablets, essentially a form of sedative, make me incredibly drowsy - I now can't get through the day without at least an hour and a half nap (may invest in a wee willy winky hat soon). Another side effect of the condition is clenching/grinding the teeth together when asleep - a reaction the specialist I saw advised is common with chronic facial pain as the body tenses at the pain, ultimately exacerbating it.

There are still many great things about my life but this has detrimentally affected it. And I'm not alone. There are hundreds of people around the world with this condition who are suffering and I feel like I can do something to help.

The next steps:

There is very limited research into atypical odontalgia/idiopathic facial pain - I know because I've spent many many hours looking. However, in the last few months I’ve made contact with an oral consultant from Newcastle University’s School of Dental Sciences who have an interest in facial pain and are for funding/support/awareness raised. I think I can do all three of these things through numerous escapades.

This includes walking 500kms between 22nd March - 21st April 2025 ! (It is worth noting that this page is not just for one event - it'll be for numerous fundraisers and challenges I will host throughout the coming years).

So dig deep and tell your very rich friends. Even if it's just a pound, I and the facial pain community would really really appreciate it.

Much love,

Jimmy/James