Thanks in advance for any help you can
give me ...
I've had intermittent headaches in the
right-side of my head for going on a year
now. Never particularly painful, but it's
been peculiar as I never normally suffer
from headaches, and they're always in the
same area. My head also gets sensitive at
the same time, i.e. if I touch it in that
area it can hurt some.
A couple of months ago, I found a lump in
front of my ear, sitting more or less
exactly on the hinge of my jaw. It's not
painful at all, but it's a lump. At first
I thought it was a swollen gland, but it
hasn't gone away.
I'm also feeling a kind of pressure
sensation in my ear from time to time, and
a generally kind of stuffy sensation as
though there's something covering my ear,
although my hearing isn't impaired.
Reading up on the symptoms of TMJ, they
seemed to make a lot of sense. My bite is
all over the place, really, and my teeth
could benefit from some orthodontics. My
jaw does click from time to time, and I
have had a history of grinding my teeth at
night, although my girlfriend tells me I
don't do that any more (so either I don't
or she sleeps right through it now!).
So, I just wondered if you thought any of
the above fits? The obvious thing to do
would be to go to the doctor, but I'm out
of the country at the moment, and have
been ever since I found this lump. And it
would be stretching my grasp of the
language a bit (to say the least!) to go
and try and get it looked at here. But I'm
not due back any time soon and I'm getting
a bit anxious about the whole thing ...
Any help you can give me would be
super-appreciated! Thanks a lot.
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bbfeet9
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 62 Location: ,
Could be TMJ Posted: 03-04-08 08:24am
I have suffered with this problem for 30
years. Mine was due to the trauma of being
hit by a car as a pedestrian. I don't know
about the lump you have found. That sounds
like an MD issue (i know you can't go now)
As far as your grinding, you can go to any
department store and purchase a bite gard.
You will find this in the oral hygiene
section. They run about $15.00. Small
medium or large, depending on how big your
mouth is. (sorry, that wasn't an insult)
This prevents you from grinding, and it
keeps your jaw relaxed thru the nite.
When i am in the throws of a headache, my
head hurts to the touch as well. I
practically live on Advil, and it really
helps. Ibuprofen (advil) is an anti
inflammatory which reduces the pain and
swelling in the jaw. I also have problems
with my left ear as well. Clicking and
popping is surely a sign of TMJ. Don't
chew gum at all. Try to chew meat on the
other side. Seriously, do try the
ibuprofen. I take 2 in the morning
regardless of pain at that time or not, i
try to head it off before it starts.
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Tmddyan
Moderator
Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 4346 Location: post falls, id usa
Thanks: 93
Thanked:63
Posted: 03-04-08 13:59pm
this could very well be tmd. i suggest
that you find a chiropractor. use heat and
ice
Id like to express concern abut the
department store splints---these cause a
world of damage. they are one size fits
all and every jaw and condition is
different. it says right on the box. DO
NOT USE IF YOU HAVW TMJ. you should go to
a tmj specialist or an oralmaxillofacial
surgeon and have them make you a splint.
it is made for you and will help you
rather than be a detriment to your jaw.
if you need help finding a good doctor let
me know. that is sort of my specialty.
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bbfeet9
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 62 Location: ,
Posted: 03-04-08 14:27pm
My dentist made a splint for me that
hinged on my two front teeth. Very
uncomfortable at night. It prevented me
from nashing my teeth together. I picked
up the store bought and it's works okay
for me. I don't wake up in the morning
with headaches anymore.
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Tmddyan
Moderator
Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 4346 Location: post falls, id usa
Thanks: 93
Thanked:63
Posted: 03-04-08 14:32pm
yes but in the long run or somewhere down
the line it will cause you problems. what
you should do is take it back to the
dentist and have him adjust it so that it
is comfortable.
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D4n
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 6
Posted: 03-06-08 05:17am
Hi All,
Thanks for the replies. Do you think an
orthodontist would be of any use in
investigating this? Just from the whole
jaw / teeth point of view they would seem
to be well placed, and luckily I do know a
good one locally. Failing that a doctor
that I actually understand is going to be
a difficult call! I guess I would have to
start with a GP/standard family doctor?
|
Tmddyan
Moderator
Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 4346 Location: post falls, id usa
Thanks: 93
Thanked:63
Posted: 03-06-08 13:39pm
actually an orthodontist would probably
want to do braces. I think that you should
see a neuromuscular dentist. i can help
you find one if you want. Ive found taht
all the gps that ive gone to have no clue
what im talking of or dont want to deal
with it or they have no idea what to do .
but definately tell them about it
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D4n
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 6
Posted: 03-06-08 16:32pm
I'm heading to the dentist next week, and
they're a pretty big outfit, so fingers
crossed they'll either have or know the
right person to look into it for me.
That's if I manage to make sense of the
language enough! Thanks a lot for your
help. When I'm back in the country, I may
take you up on the offer of helping find
one. Thanks again!
|
Tmddyan
Moderator
Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 4346 Location: post falls, id usa
Thanks: 93
Thanked:63
Posted: 03-07-08 13:41pm
excellent. Ill look forward to hearing
from you. if you dont mind my
asking--where are you? i had a similiar
experience when i was in france. i went to
doctors had no idea what was said and had
to wait till i got here any way.
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D4n
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 6
Posted: 03-09-08 11:51am
In Sardinia, Italy. I can "get by", but
that definitely doesn't cover going to
doctors. I'll probably understand about
95% of what they tell me, but you can bet
that what I'm actually saying is about 5%
similar to what I meant to say! That and
the fact that I'll probably keep referring
to them informally, which will only get
them offended ... gah!
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Tmddyan
Moderator
Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 4346 Location: post falls, id usa
Thanks: 93
Thanked:63
Posted: 03-10-08 14:30pm
oh gee i know exactly what you mean! being
over seas is frustrating fun and exciting
all at the same time. not to mention the
social snaffus that you make with the
language lol
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D4n
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 6
Posted: 03-11-08 16:15pm
... like the time when I first met my
girlfriend's Italian parents and managed
to call her Mom just about the worst word
in the English language! In my defense
it's only one letter different to the word
for fig which is what we were talking
about at the time! Unfortunately I didn't
really understand the actual mistake and
in my panic ended up saying it over and
over again. They've never let me forget
that one!
You're right though ... frustrating fun
covers it perfectly!
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Tmddyan
Moderator
Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 4346 Location: post falls, id usa
Thanks: 93
Thanked:63
Posted: 03-11-08 16:20pm
lol--it started raining in france and i
told every one it was crying. the 2 words
arent that different.
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D4n
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 6
Posted: 03-11-08 17:05pm
Lol, I've done exactly that one too
(Italian can be pretty similar to French
at times)! Great minds think alike!
