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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Ear/Jaw pain!

34 replies

419HLR · 04/01/2022 16:45

Okay not an aibu but posting here for traffic as I'm getting desperate.
Wondering if anyone has had the same and got to the bottom of it?
I've had what I thought was earache for the past 3 weeks. It's slowly developed into more of a jaw pain and also radiates down my neck. I spoke to the doctor a couple of weeks ago who assumed it was an inner ear infection and that I just had to let it run its course, carry on with pain killers etc
Finally seen a doctor 3 days ago who said my ear looked fine, no sign of infection and no other sign of where the pain could be coming from. Suggested I see my dentist to check it wasn't my teeth causing it.
Seen my dentist today who took X-rays etc but said everything seems to be fine so obviously limited on what they could suggest to help.
Ibuprofen and cocodamol are now barely helping the ache now.
What the heck do I do now!? Go back to the doctor? Something must be causing it surely?
I just feel like I'm being passed from pillar to post while the pain is getting worse every day.

OP posts:
KatieKat88 · 04/01/2022 16:54

Do you grind your teeth? That causes lot of problems for me!

Original poster
419HLR · 04/01/2022 17:06

@KatieKat88 no not a teeth grinder or jaw clencher (that I know of anyway!)

OP posts:
Thelnebriati · 04/01/2022 17:10

You can get a mouth guard to wear at night for TMJ, try that for 2 weeks and see if you get any relief.
www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/tmj

Freddiefox · 04/01/2022 17:11

Lots of people grind their teeth and they don’t know. It causes me massive pain lately. I don’t always grind my teeth but when I do my whole head hurts

MrsJamesAcaster · 04/01/2022 17:13

@419HLR yes, I have similar.

Pains behind ear, behind jaw, sometimes behind temples, and often down one side of my neck. All the same side. Left side is fine. I get a lot of headaches and my skull has started to crunch recently.

I haven’t been able to get to the bottom of it either but will watch with interest.

Does your ear feel blocked? Mine does but GP says ear is fine. Dentist says my jaw is fine.

A friend has recently suggested neck manipulation and lymphatic drainage but I don’t really know where to start.

Giveronyoursausage · 04/01/2022 17:16

I've just had this and what I found helped is holding a wheat bag around my jaw the heat eased the pain also there are some jaw ache exercises on you tube which I did.

Thefrenchconnection1 · 04/01/2022 17:20

Tmj. Have you been wearing a mask more recently? Mask wearing sets mine off (I still wear one but reduce times I have to). Treatment: naproxen (ibprufen may be ok, didn't help me) and co codamol plus a soft food diet, no blow jobs and reduce jaw movement so less talking and chewing

Yubaba · 04/01/2022 17:24

www.nhs.uk/conditions/trigeminal-neuralgia/
Has your dr considered trigeminal neuralgia

KCee30 · 04/01/2022 17:34

Is is possible that you clench or grind your teeth at night? I do and it took me a while to notice it. When it flares up bad I get very bad ear pressure as well as the jaw pain! It's called tmjd.

Fleur405 · 04/01/2022 17:35

This happened to me and was passed back and forth between gp and dentist until I spoke to a doctor friend. Ask your gp for a referral to maxillofacial - jaw issues are the most usual cause of referred ear pain. I didn’t think I clenched my jaw or ground my teeth but turned out I do (and had been doing so for years!)

NinaProudman2022 · 04/01/2022 17:42

Sounds very much like TMJ. I would contact your dentist. I wasn’t aware I was grinding my teeth either and was convinced I had tooth ache and needed to have a tooth out the pain was so excruciating so I went to see an emergency dentist and after a thorough check up he diagnosed this and after some simple exercises it cleared up.
This was in none covid times. I wasn’t aware I was grinding my teeth but was under a tremendous amount of stress at the time.

Original poster
419HLR · 04/01/2022 18:46

Thanks for all of your replies, I've never heard of TMJ but I will definitely have a read up on it and get back in contact with my dentist just incase it is that.
Is TMJ something that is a one off thing or will it be something that will always come and go?
Also didn't think I clenched my jaw but perhaps I do and I just don't realise, from all your replies it seems it's quite common!

@MrsJamesAcaster yes this sounds a lot like the same, ears also feel blocked/stuffy but apparently are fine. Thanks for the suggestion I'll have a read up on that too.

@Yubaba no suggestion of anything it could be from my doctor but I'll have a look into this Thankyou

OP posts:
Startrooper · 04/01/2022 19:01

Sounds like TMJ Dysfunction which I was diagnosed with in the late 90’s. Back then it wasn’t widely known about or recognised amongst dentists and GP’s.

Original poster
419HLR · 04/01/2022 19:24

@Startrooper

Sounds like TMJ Dysfunction which I was diagnosed with in the late 90’s. Back then it wasn’t widely known about or recognised amongst dentists and GP’s.
Thanks for your reply. is it something that reoccurs often then? Like when you've had it once it's likely to always be there?
OP posts:
thereisonlyoneofme · 04/01/2022 19:27

How odd, I have the same problem and googled it earlier! TMJ !

NinaProudman2022 · 04/01/2022 19:34

I think it depends I had it first when DH was made redundant and he was very stressed looking for work and my job was also at risk of redundancy during this period.

I then had it a couple of years later. My dad was really poorly, my family were being awkward and stressing me out and again my job was at risk.

NinaProudman2022 · 04/01/2022 19:35

Sometimes they call it TMD or TMJ but I think both might be the same or similar.

Tigertigertigertiger · 04/01/2022 19:36

I don’t think this is Tmj but happy to be proven wrong. !

Original poster
419HLR · 04/01/2022 19:49

@Tigertigertigertiger

I don’t think this is Tmj but happy to be proven wrong. !
Any thoughts on what it could be?

I will of course update once I've gotten to the bottom of it!

OP posts:
RavingAnnie · 04/01/2022 19:58

I've had this a few times. Last two times it was tonsillltis, and second time, sinusitis.

RavingAnnie · 04/01/2022 19:58

Needed antibiotics both times.

Original poster
419HLR · 04/01/2022 20:07

@RavingAnnie

I've had this a few times. Last two times it was tonsillltis, and second time, sinusitis.
I've had both of these, I used to get tonsillitis constantly, but this doesn't feel the same. I will mention to the doctor though.
OP posts:
BitterTits · 04/01/2022 20:10

Try the GP again. I had an ear infection (I knew it, I've been prone to them) but was fobbed off with TMJ. I had to go back to be diagnosed with a double (outer/middle) ear infection, which antibiotics sorted. If it's not that the GP needs to investigate it further anyway.

CassieJumped · 04/01/2022 20:56

In my twenties I had awful ear ache for months. I was referred to ent who after several cancelled appointments saw me and declared my ears were fine. It eased eventually but years later I moved dentists, had x-rays and was asked if I had had any really bad tooth ache in the past years. Turns out my wisdom teeth had grown in sideways? Into my gum anyway.
Hope you get to the bottom of it.

Startrooper · 04/01/2022 21:22

@419HLR I had it for years and now it doesn’t bother me, although I still do have tinnitus on the side that was worst affected. I’m not sure if it is something that affects people permanently or comes and goes. Mine was caused by a misaligned jaw bite, and a head injury. I had dental treatment and physio.

When I was having treatment I was told not to open my mouth wide, not to move jaw from side to side (ie to check to see if I had any pain), or to eat hard things like a whole apple (sliced ok), or chew gum etc.

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