Post-Dry Socket Pain

[matthewb82]

I had my wisdom teeth extracted, and after 8 days I started to notice dry socket pain.  The pain was off-and-on, and when it really hurt it was excruciating for a little over a week.  The pain has started to subside during the day, and I can get by taking Ibuprofens.  Nearly 2 weeks after I first felt the pain (3 weeks after the actual surgery), I can talk normally and don't have a problem eating.  The difficulty is at night: I am being woken up every hour by excruciating pain.  I do not understand, because during the day I feel perfectly fine.  There does not seem to be anything I can do about it: I am taking Ibuprofens and Vicodins, but they don't last.  When it hurts, the really bad pain only lasts for about 5 minutes then I can go back to sleep, but I will be woken up again in an hour.  It is brutal as I am horribly exhausted.  Is this normal following a dry socket?  How much longer will this go on for?  Why am I fine during the day but unable to sleep at night?

[surendering]

OMG Mathew, KILL ME NOW!! Tell me how it ended, what was going on and why? I am having the exact same problem, have been searching the net for answers for an hour and can't find anything. I had my top second from back molar taken out a week ago, I am in excrutiating pain from the site to my jaw. It is tolerable with Advil during the day but by 6pm I am wanting to take a sharp razor to my wrists. I went to the dentist 3 days ago thinking I had an infection and she said I did not, but did warn me I may have dry socket, but isn't dry socket excruiticating 24 hours a day?

[megmil]

I agree with scottma. I had a wisdom tooth taken out and it healed within days. No pain or anything. You could have gotten an air pocket which can be very dangerous. My sister had one once. Or maybe even some bacteria in it while it was healing.

[scottma]

Your post op condition is rare. Going back to your surgeon to have a post op exam is advised.