Should I be in excruciating pain that keeps getting worse 5 days after root canal?

Question

I had a root canal on Friday morning. Saturday my mouth was a bit sore but nothing I couldn't handle. I was sick Saturday vomiting all day because of the meds the doctor gave me. Sunday my mouth started hurting pretty bad. The pain is the entire right side of my head up to the temple where my head has been throbbing. Monday the pain got worse and I was popping the pain pills the doc gave me but nothing was working. Monday night at work I was hurting so badly that they sent me home! Tuesday morning I called the dentist and told him and I went to see him that afternoon. He gave me Novocaine and that was the first relief I had from the pain in days. He ground the tooth down saying that was what my problem was but he didn't seem to concerned so I figured I would be o.k. Last evening when the Novocaine wore off the pain came back full force. I passed out because I was so tired from barely sleeping these past 5 days and at 4 am I was jolted awake by shooting pain that had me in tears. I was in so much pain that I cried myself to the Emergency Room. I am not a baby when it comes to pain- I had 4 children 2 singles and a set of twins naturally without pain killers. Anyways the E.R. gave me Extra Strength Vicodin and that took the pain away this morning the first time I took one. Now I've taken 3 more since then and I can feel terrible pain even with the vicodin. I knew the root canal was a painful procedure but I have never heard of anyone having such pain 5 days later that is getting worse and hurts so bad that it could wake someone up out of a dead sleep! Any ideas. I am on antibiotics too btw. Thanks.

Answer 1

A root canal is when they take the root from the tooth, you would have no nerves to cause pain, go to a different dentist have them do xrays something does not sound right.  The only thing that could give you pain is if you still have an infection that isn't being cleared up.  

Answer 2

OMG! You poor thing! Sounds like it could be "dry sockets" to me. I would make an appointment with an oral surgeon and get them packed so that they can heal without the pain. I had these when I got my wisdom teeth out where the nerve is exposed - worst pain of my life and vicodin didn't even touch it. With a root canal they are supposed to remove the nerve so it doesn't hurt, but obviously the dentist you went to missed some or something. He obviously doesn't know what he's doing...

Good Luck!