I have had ATN for some time now and also TMJ disorder. A couple of weeks ago I started getting a new symptom, which I find disturbing, although in the past when I knew nothing about head/face pain I would probably had paid little attention to it.
My ATN involves a part of my lower jaw and my TMJ is worse on the same side as ATN but mostly involves muscles, at least that's how I perceive it. This past weeks I have started getting really short, somewhat painful spasm way above my temple, which is normally the furtherest point of my TMJ pain. Contrary to the TMJ pain, these painful spasm feel much deeper, as if coming from inside my skull (it almost feels as if something is moving in there). As I said, they are short-lived and I don't get them too often, but having been through the hell of ATN/TMJ I am worried.
My question is: Do you think this could be related to the TMJ disorder although it involves the upper part of the head and feels as if coming from deep inside rather than my usual TMJ pain which is more of a "surface" pain?
I don't want to go to my neuro at this stage, I know how frustrated she at times was not being able to help me. I did take sleeping pills in the past weeks, which I normally don't do. Also, the spring weather makes a lot of people around me worse, I noticed. Could it be the pills or weather? I know it's all guessing, but any answers are much appreciated!
I get something like that. They're really sharp like tearing or ripping or putting lemon/lime in an open wound. I get them at the top of the jaw in front of the ear, up about an inch or two, sometimes straight in that point.
I get another one that's like a surge or pulse but feels like the bone or "core" pain in the same area.
Does your salivary gland there hurt? I swear mine contributes in some way but nobody sees anything wrong with it.
I thought I had the worst TMJ in the world, you can hear it crack through walls, but the TMJ specialist was saying it's not related to the pain at all, said I don't even qualify for TMJ other than the popping. He gave me muscle relaxers but I couldn't feel any difference so he said it's not muscle pain.
Have you had your wisdom tooth taken out? I still have mine and think I need to get rid of it. I asked the TMJ guy about NICO and he said most places don't believe it exists.
Cleo, my new pain is located in the temporalis muscle area, the thing that confuses me is that it feels really deep, but I guess it could still be related - especially seeing the picture you posted (also my dentist said that my TMJ had gone worse, now it's pretty much visible, the jaw deviation, somewhat swollen eye on the bad side etc.).
Shindig, your symtoms sound similar to mine. I also get pain in front of the ear and and the pulsating pain you mentioned, sometimes it feels as if my arteries should burst:) My pain does, however get better with muscle relaxants though it never goes away completely.
I still have all of my wisdom teeth and have no intention of having them pulled, although a dentist or two tried me persuade me it could help with my TMJ - I just don't feel like taking the risk of another surgery in my mouth.