Cervical?
I noticed about a week ago or so, I began having pain between my ear and cheek. I have never had TMJ so don't think its that. I don't grind my teeth at night. It only hurts on one side. I thought it might even be a ear infection, but doctor said ears clear,plus its differnt then a ear infection. Could this be part of cervial dystonia or not related? Its achy off and on and see dentist regularly-no cavity.
Tags: clenching, dystonia, grinding, jaw, pain, syndrome, teeth, tmj.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by beka on -
Hi Deanna-
Is the pain or achiness located on the side your neck twists or turns ?
Does it occur only at night ?
There is a syndrome called clenching jaw syndrome. Suspect it really is dystonia in some form. But here is some info about it.
Spastic torticollis (ST)--also called Dystonia--is a painful dysfunctional problem. The neck muscles on one side become spastic, causing the head to lean. The normal treatment involves using very strong anti-inflammatory medications; however. It does not offer a lot of relief. These people desperately need help. There is nothing in the literature that supports clenching as a cause, but there is no doubt in my mind and colleagues knowledgeable in the cause and effect of clenching.
ST is a good place to start in the clenching syndrome. It demonstrates how clenching trauma can cause serious problems. ST may be the worse muscle problem that clenching trauma can cause, but balancing the jaw clearly shows how an unbalanced jaw causes problems. These people have an unusual and not too common bite. Most occlusomuscular problems involve facial muscle spasms, which simulate headaches, migraine, and earaches. plus other assorted muscle problems. Muscles problems are just a few of the problems clenching causes.
In order to cause spasticity in neck muscle one has to squeeze on the back teeth, usually one that is severely out of line allowing a person to create a lot of leverage—much more that the normal acquired bite.
You can find more information along with pics at the following website-
Link :http://www.clenchingsyndrome.com/torticollis.html
Hope this helps everyone.
beka
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Permalink Reply by Ellen S on -
Beka, I'm wondering if clenching syndrome may in some way be irritating the nerves in the face, or the blood vessels that then swell and put pressure on the nerves (as in TN)... what do you think? I know sometimes I get strange spasms in small muscles in my neck that *pop* across a nerve and causes shooting electric like pain up and down my neck. (glossopharyngeal nerve maybe??) Not exactly the same as my TN (I tend toward the constant type instead of the shooting type), but similar to descriptions of a friend's more shooting type of TN.
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Permalink Reply by beka on
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Could it be a trigger effect or referred pain from simply the dystonia in the cervical region... What do you think ??
Are you thinking more along the lines of a inflammatory process...?
beka
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Permalink Reply by FelicityNexus on -
Deanna i rember my ears hurting very sensitive below them at first and then the bulging of the left side muscles and the muscles in the back of the neck i cant recacall the name but the dr i went to said he will take care of it and squeezed the dickens out of them. i have a diagnosizs of one of them is the spasmidoc torticollis( not spastic toricollis) and my jaw would lock shut at the beginning so hard it was very frightneing for my children and my self, i am a left looker where my muscles pull my head to my shoulder and the back of my neck muscles maybe they are the basilar one i forgoet thoe ( sorry.My trapezia and the sterno masotcloid and also the omyhyoid and all the small ones undermy chin are afected and it was very difficutl at first to get air to breath ( they thout it was a panic attack ,hower it was a bilatteral swelling of my thyroid , it was on the mri , they must not of thout it important but it got bigger and it was harder to breath then i kept saying i cant breath one dr said i was having a nervous break down , and as it got bigger the dr said i poked it , finally it popped and blood came out and it did go down what a relife. sorry i got off track but deanna i do have hurting on both side of my jaw one time it clenched so hard it cracked my teeth my dentist was going to make a guard but he said it woudl nt be strong enoguth, if any one would know of any thing to help to be able to not to have th presser on my jaw , I do not have a unallinged bit thoe.Deanna sometimes i heat up these bean bag things i got for a gift and put them on my jaws to sooth them it, I am not sure if heat is the correct thing or not thoe, IS it Beka ? cold is not as comfortable . I will check out the site of the one you typed . ty so much i am so glad to have friends who understand how this is and know what it is like when others look at you and just say oh you have a stiff neck .and not know all the things. I do not want to be a complainer or anything and feel i am alot if i mention anything at all. Deanna do you get injections of botox or myoblox at all? i get them under my ear area to help stop the spasming it does help to. just wish it would last longer , howere i am very thankful i am not immune and it does work. i will take the good times while they are there and i am becomeing more able to do more as i get more recoverd . thanks Deanna and Beka.: Best wishes Deanna!!
FelicityNexus
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Permalink Reply by Deanna on -
Thank you ladies for taking time to respond to this. Things for me to look into.
Deanna
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Permalink Reply by beka on
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I personally use ice packs to numb any scalp pain or neck pain.. 20 min on, 20 min off.. others use heat... whatever works best for you..
beka
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Permalink Reply by Lene on -
I now use ice packs to numb my scalp pain and it worked!! (thank you Beka) I use a wet hot towel and wrap my heat buddy in it for my neck ..sometimes it puts me to sleep. Lene
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Permalink Reply by beka on
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I also have pain right behind the left ear.. almost grinding like to a great extent...I go crazy when it occurs because it can be so intense.. urgghh...
beka
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Permalink Reply by Deanna on
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Felicity, thank you so much for sharing. It is such a blessing to have this site.I will comeback again and again to read this.
Deanna
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Permalink Reply by Canary3 on -
Dear Deanna,
Had mouth guard made years back to keep alignment and for preven. of clenching. Along with Botox tx of the neck this seems to help my ear, jaw and eye pain. Heat really does help with the discomfort tempor. Canary3
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Permalink Reply by Deanna on
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I have never grinned my teeth.I thought about it. And it just being on one side seems odd. Eating or opening my jaw wide even to yawn hurts alot.
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Permalink Reply by Ellen S on
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You may want to look up Trigeminal Neuralgia and Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain (TN like pain caused by something else like injury etc). This can actually affect any of the branches of nerves that go to the face and even the neck and inside the ear. I have TN and when it hits it is agony. It often is triggered by wind in my ear, and I often feel it deep inside my ear and across my lower face and my jaw. HERE is a diagnostic questionnaire designed by a team at OHSU (Oregon Health and Sciences University) and Dr. Burchiel - one of the foremost TN doctors in the country. It can help you determine if you have Trigeminal Neuralgia or TNP. Take the quiz, print it out and take it to your doctor, even if it says this is not your problem. Those answers may help trigger your own doctor to something else to look at to help you diagnose your facial pain. Here is an interesting look at facial pain that may also help you. Let me know what you think, okay?
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