I have TMJ and recently diagnosed with TN too from multiple extractions ( I have no molars left) and having novacaine needles hitting my interior alveolar nerve over and over again over the years, i ve been in agony. Sudden sharp stabbing nerve shocks on my tongue, extraction sites, and teeth. Now i have agonizing spontaneous debiltating earache in my right ear that has no infection. It comes on out of the blue. My ENT thinks my TMJ is causing this… Anyone with this symptom? Toothache and earache on their own are unlivable but can be short lived inconvenience remedied by antibiotics and mew filling etc, But to be dealing with these two things at once is a living nightmare for sure. Thanks for reading
I was diagnosed with TN on right side in 2015. From time to time my ear hurts or just feels like it is clogged. I have a hard time hearing when happens. My pain is usually in jaw by back molar which changes to my bottom lip. I too went to ENT for my ear and he said it was due to my TN.
Have you discussed the possibility that it might be GN (glossopharyngeal neuralgia). Same as TN but the 9th. cranial nerve. It can occur in combination with trigeminal neuralgia. It is treated with the same meds and/or MVD as TN.
Thank you all for your replies. Im sorry for all those who suffer from this insidious affliction. I will definately talk with a neuro dr about a GN diagnosis. I feel though, western medicine doctors are so dismissive and unsympathetic when it comes to illnesses that do not present with an obvious pathologies i.e: pain from cancer. I also feel as a female, my doctors do not take me as serious about the level of pain im having when im the office with all negative test results. Sadly, im having chronic pain throughout my body - outside my TN zone. Hard to cope. Thanks for your input and support.
I have the same thing… in in the process of getting all this sorted out… ear ache comes on from tmj plus my tn… my question is I’m missing some key teeth so would getting a partial help me chew more correctly easing the stain I put on my face … is it worth a try
Sorry to hear about your pain. Youre definately not alone. Thank god for this board giving some of my sanity back.
Im missing all my molars due to an undiagnosed TN , TMJ issues over the years. I cant afford implants and my dental wont cover partials until next year. Definate that missing essential teeth are worsening my above issues exponentially. A oral surgeon/ TMJ doctor maybe could make a night time splint in the interim to relax my jaw. Very Soft foods and sloow eating for the forseeable future.
I feel ya’ll… I was diagnoised with ATN in 2009. In 2012 I had MVD at Duke. Since then attacks have been terrifying and then sometimes I have a quiet time. I have been on pain pills constandly but they really do not help when pain is bad. In the last 8 months I get random earaches and sore throats. And my tongue burns like it is on fire. The only thing that really helps is to get really still in bed and cover up, watch TV or read or nap. In other words try to get completely relaxed distract myself. More recently I have had neck pain and balance problems . Not sure this is related. My hardest job is to not complain to my family so they won’t worry. It is one of the horrors of this condition, trying to act somewhat normal when you are in so much pain. If I come accross a wonder drug I will gladly share.
Yes I so understand. My earache are really painful and deep. I swear i have an infection and my Dr is like : your ears are fine! What really sucks is that our illness is attacking areas where teeth and ears and lets not forget eye pain is commonplace. Pain where most the other population cannot tolerate for a second and can immediately get relief from antibiotics or new fillings etc. and their pain ends. Theres no real out for us with this affliction. I feel like im going crazy. It takes a Herculean inner strength at times ( more often than not) to battle the dark days of pain. It seems to be progressing for me.
I’ve had extremely painful ear pain on the ATN side. It feels like there’s a hot spike 6 inches deep in my ear!
One thing that I found helpful is wearing a soft, sound-deadening ear plug on that side. You can pick up a box of 10 pairs for like $3 at most drug stores in America. I don’t know why it helps as noise doesn’t seem to be an issues in making it worse, but when I deaden the sound and block air current (be it winter cold or air conditioning) it seemed to help settle the flare.
The mandibular nerve or V3 can affect the ear. You should read about Geniculate Neuralgia. I do think that TMJ problems can also cause ear pain. Unfortunately, things with us are not usually cut and dry.Are you on nerve medication yet? Hopefully, it will help your ear as well. Sometimes are stong anti-inflammatory can help as well.
Thanks so much everyone. Im learning so much important information. Im not currently working with a neuro… I saw a headache dr who DX the TN and had me start slow on amitriptyline 10mg… But my insurance did not cover her services…long story short due to finances i had to cut short her care. So ive been staying in the 10mg for now until i find a full time neuro dr.
Hi sorry to hear about your ear pain. I also suffer with this on/ off stabbing shock like pain. I absolutely Kringe from this . I suffered for decades before someone listened. I had MVD in 2012 at MGH. It helped for awhile. I am missing all my molars but still have phantom tooth pain. The pain is coming from V2 branch of the facial nerve and had nothing to do with teeth. This is what happens to a lot of folks. I’m not a dentist or a doctor but it sounds so familiar of the chain of events that occurs with patients with TN. Do t let anyone tell you differently. I was 39 when they told me I had TMJ I had braces and Invisalign for 4 years. I am now 62. I suffered all those decades until I had MVD at age of 56. It was never my teeth it was vessel in my brain that was causing my TN. Good Luck
My Best
Joanne Tatto20 _
