jaw pain with inflammed jaw muscle

[ohtobehealthy]

So .. for the past week my jaw has been sore and hurting, first it was the top left so 6 days ago I went to the dentist. To get things checked out. They took xrays and tapped on each tooth and shot each tooth with cold air and found nothing significant that would be causing the pain. The dentist then wondered if it was a sinus or ear infection, I told her I didnt feel sick so she didnt write the script. She didnt get much of an idea to what was going on so told me if it persists to go to the doctor basically.

Three days later I get a horrible headache, took 6 advils and it did nothing to touch the pain, then the next day I woke to the headache on the same side of the jaw pain, so then I had throbbing pain from my forehead down my now BOTTOM LEFT jaw area down to even the base of my neck. So I spent a VERY sleepless night in pain last night, the pain would be throbbing in my bottom left jaw, sometimes it would feel a lil better with heat applied to the left side of my face, jaw area and head. I gave in and took finally a percocet. There was not other way for me to sleep. I was in a ton of pain

I went to a walk in clinic being its saturday... what they found is that no its not dental related but I dont have an ear infection nor sinusitus. The doctor could not feel swelling any where but found tender spots in my temples but said for some reason my jaw muscle on that side is inflammed for some reason or another. He was not sure why. He wrote me some scripts for anti inflammatories and percocets.

[ohtobehealthy]

Another thing that was odd is.. well as you know I go to the doctor A LOT. Everytime I get my blood pressure taken I am always told how perfect of a blood pressure I have... well today it was pretty high. The nurse asked me if my blood pressure was usually this high? I told her.. no not at all. So then asked me if I was nervous.. which I was not at all. I was lethargic and tired feeling. So then she said maybe my blood pressure was high because I was in pain. Does that sound right??? I have had a 3 day headache too and honestly it never occured to me to check my blood pressure when I get these headaches....

[ohtobehealthy]

ok my undiagnosed illness usually does NOT include pain but I have been in tremendous pain for 4 days, luckily the only thing that HAS worked so far is the perscription of the dexamethasone the antiflammatory perscription, three lil pills every other day for 5 days. I have not had pain now since I took them at 4 am this morning. , keeping fingers crossed it stays like that. I cant like in pain like this every day, the throbbing in my jaw is awful and i cant focus, I cant sleep. I feel for the rest of you that have unexplained pain, I am VERY sympathetic now. 

What sucks is I am not in a fuzzy drugged out state of mind, I guess its either that or be in pain. I will take that for now.

Needless to say I did nothing for Halloween.

[Keilia]

Oh sweetie *HUG*

Have you seen a rheumetologist?

[ohtobehealthy]

I have not.. yet. Maybe I will add it to my list heh..

Denstist and Doctor say no to TMJ, I do need two root canals on that side but they took x rays and there were no signs of abcess and they tapped on each tooth and shot cold air on them and hot water and no significant pain, doctor said if it were TMJ I would have mover of the pain from the jaw to the where it connects under the temple and I do not. Its only the jaw itself on the left side pain moving from top to bottom jaw area but they never hurt at the same time sometimes its the top left jaw and sometimes its the bottom, the bottom jaw has hurt the worst though.

I am on Dexamethasone which I guess is perscribed for arthritis and it has worked well, but it does wear off after 48 hours and the side affects suck, sleeplessness, heart palpitations, upset stomach etc..

Noticed tonight too that the base of the back of my neck to my skull area is super tender where my hairline is as well as my entire jaw is tender to the touch.. I dont know anymore..

[Keilia]

Sweetie you are too young for it but it can happen - that sounds like it COULD be giant cell arteritis/polymyalgia rheumatica. If you feel like driving to Bellevue, I have the best Rheumy EVER. I can send you her info if you want it. 

[11bluemen]

I agree with Keilia - temporal (giant cell) arteritis is quite rare under age 50 but there are case reports - even in someone as young as 17 yrs old.  Your symptoms fit and given your predisposition to autoimmune/inflammatory disease, it needs to be high on the list.  Dexamethasone or another steroid is the right treatment, but you likely need a higher dose or more frequent dosing - let your doctor know it's wearing off.  It's important to keep the inflammation down to avoid any permanent damage to your vision, which is a rare but possible complication of this condition.

[ohtobehealthy]

would I go to a rheumy for that?!?? I did some more research and I get facial pain like dull aches in the muscles a lot and my headaches are ALWAYS on the right side of my head to the right of my temple/forehead area... 

[ohtobehealthy]

btw the jaw pain is now gone... as fast as it appeared its now gone, my neck and head pain is faded too but my face is tender to the touch, could barely wash my face. 

[Keilia]

Yes you would see a Rheumy for it, it is autoimmune condition. Get checked out for it. I sent you my Rheumy's info. She is FANTASTIC. Tell her all the symptoms that you have had. She is wonderful at diagnostics also.

[ohtobehealthy]

Thanks Keilia your a lifesaver! i will call tomorrow for an appt!

[ohtobehealthy]

I didnt get a chance to call on friday. I ended up working over 11 hours.. that sucked and it was too busy for me to call during my work day so.. hopefully monday.

I was looking into my bloodwork from the past and in all the many times that I have had blood taken I have only had my c reactive protein taken twice in years and years and each time it was high.. in the 2.1 2.3 range.. interesting.. I will tell the rhuemy those results too..

[Keilia]

Oh yeah she definately needs to know that. I see her again in Dec. Did you get a chance to call yet?