URGENT - PLZ READ

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#1 Post by **Cbarrett** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:20 pm

[u][b]THE TOP AND LAST POSTS ARE MINE, IN BETWEEN ARE SOME RESPONSES I HAVE RECIEVED FROM ANOTHER BOARD. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK.[/b][/u]

-Hi,
Last year I started having some tingling feelings or "fullness/tightness" around my left temple. I saw a neurologist who said my neurological examination was perfect, and sometimes you can have some over stimulation of the nerves, he gave me some sample medication to try if it became bothersome, but that was that.
About a month ago, the tingling and feelings of fullness, and just plain out funny feelings around my temple have gotten much worse, they are usually always their (I'm having them right now), and I went back to see him.
Last week I had an MRI of my brain, and it showed I had a small cyst in my brain I was probably born with, and I had sinuitis. The doctor called to tell me this, but still tells me not to be concerned, he said that it didnt' show any tumors, mass's, or growths, and nothing pushing on any nerves.
But this is becoming almost like a disability, sometimes I feel like somethings under my skin, around my left eye, eyebrow, temple, etc. I'm only 24 years old and I've never had any head trauma to sustain this. On friday I see him for a follow up to go over some treatment options and get an explanation for all of this. Plus, to top things off tommorow I'm getting braces put on, to help straighten my teeth (obviously) but also to help align my jaw as I've had some TMJ problems with my left ear.
If anyone knows anything or can help out at all please just post. I am so scared and dissapointed and depressed its been really difficult to get through all of this.
Chris

Hi Chris:
Have you addressed the TMJ before starting braces? Because if you have not addressed the TMJ problems before starting braces the braces will only make the TMJ worse. The symptoms you described can be caused by TMJ. Of course so could other things but since you stated that you do have TMJ they can most certainly be from the TMJ. But it's most important that you deal with the TMJ problems before starting braces, if you don't you will in all likelihood make your TMJ worse.
Tiffany

- Hi Chris,
The tingling, fullness and aches around your left temple are very common symptoms of TMJ and since you have been having problems with your left TMJ, that only reinforces my impressions that this is part of TMJ. But I'm not a specialist (unless you consider a long-time sufferer of TMJ a specialist ).

What have you done about your TMJ? What have your symptoms been like? Have you been taking an anti-inflammatory (ibuprofen) for your TMJ and/or temple pain? The stuffiness or fullness could be swelling or inflammation of the tissue in that area of your face, which is all closely related. Also, have you tried ice or moist heat on the temple that has been hurting? Is there anyway you can ask your orthodontists some more serious questions about TMJ before the braces are put on?

I would hesitate to have braces until the TMJ has been addressed by your doctors, especially if you are in pain. Have you and the ortho tried anything else to resolve the TMJ issue? Unfortunately, I just don't know enough of your TMJ history to give too much more advice. I probably have said too much. I just would hesitate to have braces until the TMJ has been addressed by your doctors, especially if you are in pain.

Another reason I don't know what to do about advising you about getting braces right now is because that is exactly what happened to me and I was only 2 years older than you. Braces were put on my teeth because my bite was off and I was having TMJ issues and pain. That was 25 years ago when they claimed that TMJ was "new." The braces turned out to be a big mistake because they never took away the pain. I know now that I should have tried bite splints or something, anything else. I still have pain and have lived with pain ranging from 1 to 9 out of a 10 scale for 25 years.

Chris, just be careful and make sure that all your questions have been answered. Also, ask the ortho what he thinks about the temple pain.

Let me know how you are doing. My prayers are with you.
God bless...
Carol

- THanks for your responses,
I'm really freaking out now. My ortho will be extremely upset if i cancel on her tommorow, regardless of the reason, as I've done it before.
Neway, over the course of my life I've noticed that if i bite all the way down i have this slight feeling of pressure in my left ear. Over the past few years I saw numerous ENT's who eventually found a small nasopharyngeal mass (behind the nose) which was removed and came to be benign, besides that I see one now for a nasal fracture which occured a few months ago, and when i mention the pressue in my left ear or pain on occasion (it really isn't that bad from my ear) he mentioned TMJ and told me it could be because your teeth aren't aligned. I told him i needed braces, and he said well their you go and gave me a pamphlet on it.
I never really thought all of this could be from TMJ until reading your posts, thats why I'm so concerned about it. I thought of this to be more of a neurological problem as I'm really not in a lot of pain, but more [b]discomfort[/b]. This feeling of "fullness", "tingling" and a "tightening" or "ache" is almost always their, around my temple, eyebrow, or sometimes running down my cheek. So I never thought the TMJ can cause all of this.
Today I called my ENT to inform him of what the MRI said, and infomred the office I was scheduled to get braces on, the same with my neurologist. The nuerologist or ENT doctors never called me back, I think I will hear from them tommorow, but from speaking with the receptionist at my neurologists office she said to go ahead and get the braces and see him on monday, the doctor won't tell me not to get the braces on, its probably irrelevant as to what it has to do with this.
As for my ENT he probably knows better, and i will call them both in the morning to get their clearance before seeing my ortho at 2pm for the braces fitting.
When and if i do finally get their, i will inform my ortho of whats been happeneing before getting the braces on.
When you guys talk about has your TMJ been treated before or get it treated before braces. What do you mean? How is it treated?

THanks again.
Chris

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#2 Post by **jenns91civic** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:35 pm

I had some TMJ (my jaw popped and would often lock so I could close it but not open it any further) and braces made it go away. My jaw only pops if I open it *all* the way now. Aligning the teeth and fixing any malocclusion can help with TMJ but its a case by case thing. Have you discussed the TMJ with your ortho before??

#3 Post by **Cbarrett** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:42 am

Yeah,
but not in detail.
I will today.
The only TMJ problems I've ever experienced is some pressure in my left ear, and some pain. Which comes and goes. Its never really been that bad. This is though, this is a feeling of "fullness" or tightness, that either moves around from my forehead (top left) to my next to my left eye, and around my cheek, etc.
So I'm not sure if TMJ can do all of this, I just don't want to risk this getting worse by getting braces.
Its 9:40am, I just called the ENT, hes off for the jewish holiday. His physician assistant will only be their at 1:30pm. I just called the nuerologist and told them the situation and i want to speak with the doctor before seeing the ortho. When i see her i'll discuss the problems with her also.
Chris

#4 Post by **Cbarrett** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:57 am

My nuerologist just called.
He said he doubts its TMJ and he thinks its more of a facial neuraliga then TMJ. He said most of the symptoms I have is pain in the facial area. I told him its not really a pain, but these wierd feelings of "tightness" or an ache. He told me that TMJ is more specialized around the jaw, ear, or TMJ joint. and he doesn't feel that it could cause these sensory problems around my eye, forhead or temple. He said its fine to go ahead and get the braces. But discuss it with my ortho when i see her, as she will have a better understanding of TMJ.
He also said its difficult to tell if pain will get worse by putting on braces as some people tend ot have some pain when they have pressue on their jaw.
Chris

#5 Post by **jenns91civic** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:54 am

It may be overly obvious, but are you sure that pressure isn't sinus related??

#6 Post by **LiveWire** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 10:06 am

Hey Chris,

Sorry to hear that you are having such a tough time - especially cause you had a tough time getting to the decision to have the braces put on and now you are dealing with this..

But do your best to keep positive cause it makes difficult situations manageable and I know that this will all work out for you.

All the best and let us know how things go for you....

Take care

#7 Post by **SuzyCentri** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:19 pm

Chris,

I'm awfully careful to say that every person's situation is different, so I would be careful if someone says they had the exact same thing. I don't ever like to hear that, myself.

I know this, sometime people have symptoms that don't mean anything until the whole story is put together. I think it's great that you are trying to talk to all the doctors. You are on the right track.

Hang in there and let us know how you are.