View Full Version : Facial/Jaw pain, Anxiety? TMJ? something else?
I have had this facial pain for a few months now, I get pains in my cheeks, cheekbones and sometimes in my jaws.
Earlier on, I had a nap and when I woke up I had a bad pain in my right jawbone next to my ear which hurt when I opened my mouth and it took some time for it to ease off as well.
Now I haven't got to the bottom of this and it needs sorting, I decided to book an appointment with my dentist for this week as I have been having on and off toothache recently but I thought I could ask again about this problem while I am there.
Could it be TMJ? Or is it Anxiety? Or is there a chance it could be something else?
wiskersonkittens
05-12-10, 19:18
Hi, Eggy -- it certainly sounds to me like TMJ or perhaps just clenching your jaws or grinding your teeth. I have TMJ and have even had facial numbness with it and loss of hearing. Good idea to see your dentist about it, but to reassure you it doesn't sound like anything more than that. Please let me know what he/she says. Healing hugs to you -- Wiskers ~
Anxious_gal
05-12-10, 19:38
TMJ, your dentist might give you a thing to wear over your teeth at night to help.
I'm seeing my dentist tomorrow, Last time I went in October they fobbed me off about my facial pains.
Hi, Eggy -- it certainly sounds to me like TMJ or perhaps just clenching your jaws or grinding your teeth. I have TMJ and have even had facial numbness with it and loss of hearing. Good idea to see your dentist about it, but to reassure you it doesn't sound like anything more than that. Please let me know what he/she says. Healing hugs to you -- Wiskers ~
How did you resolve your TMJ problem?
I would say it could well be anxiety as I had this years ago. My brother-in-law is a dentist and he made me a gumshield to wear at night. I don't know if it was the gumshield or just the reassurance but it worked. As I understand it the pain from TMJ is excrutiating; in my case he ruled that out very quickly. Hope everything goes well at the dentist. xxx
It sounds to me like you could be clenching your teeth when you sleep. I had pretty bad jaw problems for a while; when I slept my jaw would "pop" out of place so that sometimes I could barely open my mouth and I would have to move it back and forth until it clicked back into alignment. It was very painful at times and I woke up all the time at night and would be awake for a while trying to work it back in place. I'm still not entirely sure what it was. I think I have some mild form of TMJ and I think I clench my teeth when I sleep, which might have provoked it. However, my dentist recommended a very simple exercise to do every night before sleeping. It sounds really, really corny, but honestly, it worked for me. What you do is repeat to yourself (probably 10-15 times at first, though now I do about 5), "Lips together, teeth apart, lips together, teeth apart..." etc. and then end with "and rest your tongue gently up against the roof of your mouth" as you push your tongue gently against it with your lips closed.
I know it sounds really weird. I was really skeptical at first, but there was a huge difference. Sometimes my jaw still feels stiff at night, but there's no more sharp pain and it doesn't get stuck out of alignment like it used to.
I would give that little saying a go before you go to bed each night and relax while you do it. Stress and worrying will just make you clench your jaw tighter. All the best!
I went to the dentist on Tuesday and I do have a few decayed teeth in the bottom set of teeth not the top set! When I had to open my mouth wide it made my mouth really hurt, 2 people examined me but they said no TMJ.
This is one of my most troubling symptoms, It's just as bad if not worse than my stomach problem.
This problem must be caused by either:-
1.Sinuses
2.Bruxism
3.TMJ (Although this dentist i saw the other day never said it was TMJ.)
4.Decayed Teeth (Although they are in the bottom left hand corner and i don't think they are causing a serious problem apart from maybe 1 tooth.)
Wisdom teeth?
No i don't have any, I had them taken out years ago.
Teeth grinding (bruxism) in the night can cause the pain you're describing - I've had it. Thing about night time teeth grinding is you don't know you're doing it, so it's hard to diagnose! You can get shields from the dentist to wear at night to help.
Teeth grinding is likely during high anxiety and also a side effect of some anti-depressants.
It's worth remembering too that tooth pain can 'refer' to another part of the mouth/ face. When I had a problem with an upper wisdom tooth, it hurt all the way along my bottom teeth, not the tooth that had the decay. So I was completely confused when the dentist said it was an upper tooth causing the pain.
Dahlia
Teeth grinding (bruxism) in the night can cause the pain you're describing - I've had it. Thing about night time teeth grinding is you don't know you're doing it, so it's hard to diagnose! You can get shields from the dentist to wear at night to help.
Teeth grinding is likely during high anxiety and also a side effect of some anti-depressants.
It's worth remembering too that tooth pain can 'refer' to another part of the mouth/ face. When I had a problem with an upper wisdom tooth, it hurt all the way along my bottom teeth, not the tooth that had the decay. So I was completely confused when the dentist said it was an upper tooth causing the pain.
Dahlia
Thanks.
I do have some pain in one tooth but the dentist is filling the one next to it that doesn't hurt? Work that one out! The one that hurts just has a hole in it and hurts when eating and drinking and starts other pains off but i get these facial pain even when the tooth itself isn't hurting.
Thanks.
I do have some pain in one tooth but the dentist is filling the one next to it that doesn't hurt? Work that one out! The one that hurts just has a hole in it and hurts when eating and drinking and starts other pains off but i get these facial pain even when the tooth itself isn't hurting.
Ha! That's weird - maybe you're getting some referred pain. I was convinced I had TMJ for a while - but the dentist said I didn't. I basically have a bit of an over-bite which leads to 'clicky jaw' (not sure that's the right term! My mum and sister have it to). Basically, sometimes when I eat my jaw 'crunches', and then for about two weeks I can only just about open my mouth, and it's bloody agony. I also get earache and headache from it. Very occasionally, my mouth gets stuck in the middle of a yawn, which is somehwat embarrassing. I can often click my jaw just by opening it slightly. Sometimes I get pain without the 'crunch' having happened, which I suspect is a combination of clicky jaw and night time teeth grinding.
One tooth on my left side hurts like mad and kicks off when i eat on it.
The thing is an x-ray showed that it wasn't too bad and they are going to fill the one next to it temporarily and then make me wait a couple of months to have the others done.
I'm trying to avoid eating on my left side at the moment.
Enigma1981
13-12-10, 20:11
HI. This is my first post here, and I actually registered to answer this post.
I have had the same pain for the last week, since I started a new medication, which is the same as you are on. Cipralex 10mg.
A little known, and rare side effect of SSRI's especially Celexa, and Cipralex (which is Celexa's cousin drug) is pain in the joints and TMJ pain.
I took Celexa years ago and was in agony for months until a doctor finally figured it out. Now my doctor put me on Cipralex and the same thing happened, and I was wondering why, until I realized they are very similar drugs.
I don't mean to scare you in any way, but it might have something to do with your Cipralex more then your teeth.
HI. This is my first post here, and I actually registered to answer this post.
I have had the same pain for the last week, since I started a new medication, which is the same as you are on. Cipralex 10mg.
A little known, and rare side effect of SSRI's especially Celexa, and Cipralex (which is Celexa's cousin drug) is pain in the joints and TMJ pain.
I took Celexa years ago and was in agony for months until a doctor finally figured it out. Now my doctor put me on Cipralex and the same thing happened, and I was wondering why, until I realized they are very similar drugs.
I don't mean to scare you in any way, but it might have something to do with your Cipralex more then your teeth.
Interesting - as I had these symptoms with Seroxat. I had joint pain, and it hurt to press the muscles in my legs. I also bruised like crazy (had 17 huge ones on my legs at one point) - but no liver abnormalities. When I checked the side effects, it was listed there.
I get all those symptoms,and have had all tests done,and found to be quiet healthy.i do grind my teeth at night this is all anxiety.i was told to open my mouth and let my jaw relax,it does help but still get pain in jaw and ears.I am not on Citalopram or any other meds now,I am trying all other avenues
Petra x
lostnanxiety
14-12-10, 00:58
I have the same problem, but I often find myself grinding my teeth during the day. I think it would be accurate to say that I am doing it at night as well.
I do have a tooth in the bottom left hand corner that hurts sometimes when I eat or drink but I don't think it would cause very bad pain in both cheekbones and ears so it must be caused by something else.
wiskersonkittens
24-01-11, 02:31
Eggy -- I am sorry, I just saw your reply to my post. I have yet to solve my TMJ problem. I go to the dentist in February and I am going to talk to him about it -- I was diagnosed by my physician. I also suffer from bruxism -- I clench my teeth all the time! And, I know I must grind them, too. Hopefully my dentist can give me some ideas as to how to alleviate the symptoms of both of these conditions.
I wonder if you are suffering from bruxism, that can make your jaws sore, too. If it hurt when you opened your mouth, I can't imagine it being something other than that or TMJ. Hmm. Well, I hope you are feeling better now, and I'll let you know what my dentist has to say .... Hugs!
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