For about 3 weeks now I have had a mild
constant pain around my ear and in my
cheek it also causes my upper teeth to
hurt and the feeling of pressure in the
roof of my mouth. I have had ear
infections all my life I get them at least
every couple months. I went to the er
when the pain first started and the doc
told me that the glands in my neck where
swollen and that I had fluid in my right
ear they gave me keflex and the pain did
seem to go away for about a week or so.
Now the pain is back but not as bad as
before I went to another doctor because
about a week or so after seeing the first
doctor I got the flu and he told me the
pain in my jaw was more than likely a
sinus infection and gave me another
antibotic while the pain is still there a
little today I have only had to take 1
motrin this morning when I first woke up
also I do feel a little better today but
I still believe I have some of hte
symptoms of tmj. My jaw or ear cant
really tell which does make a noise when I
open my mouth but I also hear this noise
when my mouth is closed sometimes too.
I get migraine headaches about once every
month or two and I cant seem to be able to
open my jaw nearly as well as I could
before the pain started it also hurts
worse when I eat or swollow. Does this
sound more like a sinus infection or tmj?
My doc told me if this antibotic didnt
clear it up he was going to send me to an
ent. This scares the life out of me not
so much as the pain from tmj but knowing I
will always have to take something to
manage the pain I hate and I mean
absolutely hate taking pills even if it
just is motrin. Also one 200 mg motrin
seems to do the trick when it does hurt
and it lasts at least half the day before
I have to take another one. The
pain/pressure in my head also gets worse
when I move around and my neck and cheek
is swollen.
Any advise or thoughts on this would be
very much appreciated! I am so scared I
have tmj I am only 23 years old and I
really dont want to be in pain the rest of
my life which I know no one does but its
just so scary.
|
catswold
Supporter
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 404 Location: Flint, Michigan
Posted: 01-15-06 12:41pm
Hi tracy,
you are right in thinking that you might
have tmj. I can understand why it sounds
like you are having sinus problems and the
doctors keep treating that. Sadly, you
can have both and they will irritate each
other whenever they want. I'm doubting
that you only have sinus problems because
it seems like it should have been cleared
up by now, plus you are having some
definite tmj symptoms (popping sounds,
morning pain). And finally, you might
only have tmj (no sinus infections). Tmj
is notorious for making us and doctors
think we are having ear infections,
stuffed heads and noses, swollen glands
and sore throats. It can be so
irritating to go to a doctor and either
have them say nothing is wrong with your
ears, or have them treat you for sinus
problems over and over and it doesn't
help.
Now, don't panic. Tmj early on does have
a good possibility to be "cured" or easily
managed. If you ignore the symptoms, it
might get worse and start causing joint
damage and then it can become bad. But
you aren't there yet I don't believe.
First thing - find a good tmj dentist in
your area. Unfortunately, this can be
difficult to find a good tmj "specialist,"
so you really need to do your homework.
The dentist should spend a lot of time of
his practice treating tmj patients. I'd
also talk to some of his patients if you
can for their opinions. Also, check out
a couple of websites to see who is listed
on them who might be in your area -
aaop.Org and aacfp.Org/referral.Html.
If those don't help, contact the nearest
dental teaching college and see if they
can give you any names. Use the internet
also.
Before your actual visit to the tmj
dentist, do all the research you can on
tmj. There are some excellent websites,
books and health boards with lots of
information. Don't even think about
braces, chiropractors, surgery or filing
down a lot of your teeth at this point, so
if someone mentions these as thee way to
treat tmj right off, go somewhere else
(filing one or two teeth just a little bit
at a couple of spots can be good, though,
just not lots, and watch what the dentist
is doing if he starts doing that).
So, this (above) is where you need to
start.
To help yourself now at home, change your
diet for a few weeks to only soft foods.
Don't open your mouth wide for anything
(including the dentist and yawning) and do
not chew gum or eat ice. Use lots of
moist heat especially just before bedtime
or even ice. Look at your posture and
the way you hold your head and shoulders.
Go to the website - nismat.Org/ptcor/tmj/
- to see what your posture should be.
Get a good cervical or tmj support pillow
and don't sleep on your stomach.
Motrin is the best med to take. I
understand fully not wanting to take
pills. I was like you at your age and
didn't take pain pills. Boy, was I
stupid now when I look back. Your
quality of life is all important and pain
will destroy it. It almost did mine.
Just be careful with your stomach and eat
something when you take the motrin. It
will keep your stomach healthier. There
are other self-help methods and if you go
to the above "nismat..." website, it has
some excellent information and
suggestions.
I hope and pray that I have given you some
information that will help. Don't get
yourself too worked up if you do have tmj
because as I said earlier, when it is
diagnosed and treated properly early on,
it can be helped. One last advice is to
almost always be conservative what you do
to yourself or allow doctors to do to you.
Get total control over the pain before
anything else, especially anything
irreversible, is even thought about.
Tmj basically comes down to a balanced
bite and grinding and clenching. What
causes any of that has to be seriously
looked at and usually taken care of also
(stress, bad posture, etc.)
i pray for all the best for you. Please
feel free to ask any questions you need to
either here, other health boards or
private messages to me. Take care.
Carol
(cargill214@yahoo.Com)
