About half way through in-law moving day on Saturday I felt a headache coming on and popped two extra strength Tylenol for the day. On Sunday I woke up and the headache was still there throbbing away on the left side of my head. On top of that my left ear was sore. I slept quite a bit Sunday thinking it was due to an ear infection. The throbbing was excruciating, like zaps of electricity.I woke up this morning and the ear felt better but the throbbing was still there and seemed to have spread from my ear to include my left temple. I decided to call out of work and get to a doctor with all my ailments, head/ear pain and my constant phlegm filled cough. What a surprise it was when the doctor looked into my ear and told me there was no evidence of an ear infection. Nope I have to a problem with my temporomandibular joint (TMJ). I am a teeth grinder/clencher and basically have done enough to cause tissue on that side of my face to swell thus causing the ear pain and muscle tissue palpitations (the zapping pain). I do have a history of my jaw popping when I yawn but nothing ever this painful. I have to see a dentist now.
I did some research on my latest ailment and treatment usually begins with a mouth piece when I sleep and inflammatory meds or muscle relaxers if the palpitations are bad. For now I have popped two ibuprofen which seem to have helped (they'll be my new best friends).
I am so looking forward to a visit to the dentist (not really) but on top of the miserable gum soreness I get from a good teeth cleaning I will also have to get a mouth piece which will undoubtedly cause me to drool in my sleep if the muscle relaxers don't already do that. Very sexy.
1 comment:
I'm glad you figured out what it was and have an action plan. Doesn't sound like fun, though. I like the way you even uploaded a photo to go with your diagnosis. At first I thought it was a hip bone and wondered if you had broken your hip.. But you're not that old... yet.
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