kristinah
02-01-2004, 01:48 AM
I have severe pain in my right ear at night that started several years ago. At first I thought it was an ear infection because it throbbed, etc. and I went to my family doc and then to an ENT. Perfect ears and hearing, but ENT said I probably clenched at night and didn't know it. I thought that was silly but soon realized he was right when I developed many symptoms of TMJ (clicking, popping, aching, catching) and my ear pain problem continued, along with the stuffiness in my ears.
Does anyone else wake in the middle of the night with strong throbbing ear pain? What do you do about it? I am considering getting a splint - do you think this will help the ear pain? As I understand it, the ear nerves and jaw muscles are closely connected and the ear pain is related to the clenching/TMJ. Does this sound right? I definitely notice that the ear pain and jaw soreness/TMJ symptoms coincide in severity.
Thanks,
Kristina
Does anyone else wake in the middle of the night with strong throbbing ear pain? What do you do about it? I am considering getting a splint - do you think this will help the ear pain? As I understand it, the ear nerves and jaw muscles are closely connected and the ear pain is related to the clenching/TMJ. Does this sound right? I definitely notice that the ear pain and jaw soreness/TMJ symptoms coincide in severity.
Thanks,
Kristina
Sponsor
Marlene
02-01-2004, 11:58 PM
Hi Kristina,
If you've ruled out other causes for your ear symptoms, then yes, a splint will more than likely help. However, first you need to confirm a diagnosis of TMJ with a dentist that is extensively trained in the proper treatment of TMJ. You are correct that the ear nerves and jaw muscles are closely connected and the ear pain you are experiencing can be related to clenching/TMJ.
I had successful splint therapy and all my ear symptoms, etc. completely went away.
Marlene
If you've ruled out other causes for your ear symptoms, then yes, a splint will more than likely help. However, first you need to confirm a diagnosis of TMJ with a dentist that is extensively trained in the proper treatment of TMJ. You are correct that the ear nerves and jaw muscles are closely connected and the ear pain you are experiencing can be related to clenching/TMJ.
I had successful splint therapy and all my ear symptoms, etc. completely went away.
Marlene
kristinah
02-03-2004, 02:37 PM
Hi Kristina,
If you've ruled out other causes for your ear symptoms, then yes, a splint will more than likely help. However, first you need to confirm a diagnosis of TMJ with a dentist that is extensively trained in the proper treatment of TMJ. You are correct that the ear nerves and jaw muscles are closely connected and the ear pain you are experiencing can be related to clenching/TMJ.
I had successful splint therapy and all my ear symptoms, etc. completely went away.
Marlene
Hi Marlene,
Thank you for sharing your success with the ear pain. I am in the process of researching dentists so that when I go in for my cleaning I can hopefully talk to a dentist who is knowledgeable about TMJD and get a splint that will help.
Kristina
If you've ruled out other causes for your ear symptoms, then yes, a splint will more than likely help. However, first you need to confirm a diagnosis of TMJ with a dentist that is extensively trained in the proper treatment of TMJ. You are correct that the ear nerves and jaw muscles are closely connected and the ear pain you are experiencing can be related to clenching/TMJ.
I had successful splint therapy and all my ear symptoms, etc. completely went away.
Marlene
Hi Marlene,
Thank you for sharing your success with the ear pain. I am in the process of researching dentists so that when I go in for my cleaning I can hopefully talk to a dentist who is knowledgeable about TMJD and get a splint that will help.
Kristina
Crossbow
02-03-2004, 03:20 PM
I had severe ear pain that turned out to be TMD. I got a prescription for Xanax that I take when I'm aware of clenching, and it helps a LOT, but it's not good to take it every day.
I had a splint at first, and it made the problem a lot worse at first because I chewed on it. Eventually it got better. Now my teeth have shifted too much to use that splint, but I don't have the problem very often anymore. I think I used the splint long enough (about 2 years, I guess) to "train" my muscles to go into the right position when I sleep.
I had a splint at first, and it made the problem a lot worse at first because I chewed on it. Eventually it got better. Now my teeth have shifted too much to use that splint, but I don't have the problem very often anymore. I think I used the splint long enough (about 2 years, I guess) to "train" my muscles to go into the right position when I sleep.
kristinah
02-03-2004, 11:18 PM
I had severe ear pain that turned out to be TMD. I got a prescription for Xanax that I take when I'm aware of clenching, and it helps a LOT, but it's not good to take it every day.
I had a splint at first, and it made the problem a lot worse at first because I chewed on it. Eventually it got better. Now my teeth have shifted too much to use that splint, but I don't have the problem very often anymore. I think I used the splint long enough (about 2 years, I guess) to "train" my muscles to go into the right position when I sleep.
Interesting! I'm guessing that in your case, the clenching was made worse by stress/anxiety and the Xanax helped that? I'm sure mine is related, too, because I know I clench more when I'm stressed - I can even catch myself doing it during the daytime. Thanks for sharing your experience and I will have to see whether or not I chew the splint, too. Hopefully I can get one, and hopefully it will help!
I had a splint at first, and it made the problem a lot worse at first because I chewed on it. Eventually it got better. Now my teeth have shifted too much to use that splint, but I don't have the problem very often anymore. I think I used the splint long enough (about 2 years, I guess) to "train" my muscles to go into the right position when I sleep.
Interesting! I'm guessing that in your case, the clenching was made worse by stress/anxiety and the Xanax helped that? I'm sure mine is related, too, because I know I clench more when I'm stressed - I can even catch myself doing it during the daytime. Thanks for sharing your experience and I will have to see whether or not I chew the splint, too. Hopefully I can get one, and hopefully it will help!
Crossbow
02-04-2004, 02:19 PM
Interesting! I'm guessing that in your case, the clenching was made worse by stress/anxiety and the Xanax helped that? I'm sure mine is related, too, because I know I clench more when I'm stressed - I can even catch myself doing it during the daytime. Thanks for sharing your experience and I will have to see whether or not I chew the splint, too. Hopefully I can get one, and hopefully it will help!
Possibly - but Xanax is primarily a muscle relaxant. The antianxiety effect it has is a side effect of the way it relaxes your muscles. My opinion is that it works by relaxing my jaw muscles, but it could be the antianxiety effect too.
Possibly - but Xanax is primarily a muscle relaxant. The antianxiety effect it has is a side effect of the way it relaxes your muscles. My opinion is that it works by relaxing my jaw muscles, but it could be the antianxiety effect too.
kristinah
02-04-2004, 02:41 PM
Possibly - but Xanax is primarily a muscle relaxant. The antianxiety effect it has is a side effect of the way it relaxes your muscles. My opinion is that it works by relaxing my jaw muscles, but it could be the antianxiety effect too.
I just want you to be informed about what your are taking. Xanax is not a muscle relaxant, it's a central nervous system depressant - it keeps neruons from firing and thus inhibits some nerve signals. It's primary use is to treat anxiety disorders and it is not a direct muscle relaxant of any sort. I am surprised your doctor gave you a prescription for it because it can be sold on the streets and some people abuse it. Many doctors are reluctant to write prescriptions for that reason, so it sounds like your doc trusts you, which is a good thing! It can be addictive if you take it every day, so as you said, it isn't good to take it every day. I am a psychologist and I used to work in downtown Austin, TX for their state mental health services and I did intake for the the state mental hospital. Daily, we got homeless people who were "faking" panic attacks and begging for Xanax. Many times we had to connect them to our drug rehabilitation services.
I can definitley see how it would be helpful for TMJ if used in the way that you use it and I am very glad it is working for you! I just wanted you to be fully informed about the medicine since it sounds like your doctor didn't explain it to you very well. Your muscles may be more relaxed as a secondary benefit of the CNS supression - but Xanax isn't a muscle relaxer in the physical sense. Hope this isn't more than you needed to know, haha, and thanks again for letting me know that this is working for you! It helps to have options with this TMJ thing! :)
I just want you to be informed about what your are taking. Xanax is not a muscle relaxant, it's a central nervous system depressant - it keeps neruons from firing and thus inhibits some nerve signals. It's primary use is to treat anxiety disorders and it is not a direct muscle relaxant of any sort. I am surprised your doctor gave you a prescription for it because it can be sold on the streets and some people abuse it. Many doctors are reluctant to write prescriptions for that reason, so it sounds like your doc trusts you, which is a good thing! It can be addictive if you take it every day, so as you said, it isn't good to take it every day. I am a psychologist and I used to work in downtown Austin, TX for their state mental health services and I did intake for the the state mental hospital. Daily, we got homeless people who were "faking" panic attacks and begging for Xanax. Many times we had to connect them to our drug rehabilitation services.
I can definitley see how it would be helpful for TMJ if used in the way that you use it and I am very glad it is working for you! I just wanted you to be fully informed about the medicine since it sounds like your doctor didn't explain it to you very well. Your muscles may be more relaxed as a secondary benefit of the CNS supression - but Xanax isn't a muscle relaxer in the physical sense. Hope this isn't more than you needed to know, haha, and thanks again for letting me know that this is working for you! It helps to have options with this TMJ thing! :)
Crossbow
02-04-2004, 05:35 PM
Oh. Well, it was prescribed to me for muscle tension, so that's what I thought it was for.
I also read it's a respiratory depressant (it makes me snore). They originally gave me .25 for anxiety attacks, but I only used it once. Then later when I had trouble with TMJ, they gave me .50 for that.
Yes, my doctors do trust me; I've never had any addiction problems. (I'm 36; any addictive tendencies would have shown up by now.) I know it's addictive and I even know people who abuse it, but I only take it very rarely. I think the bottle I have now is almost a year old.
Oh yeah - and this is weird - when I have been given things that were definitely supposed to be muscle relaxants, they didn't affect me even one little bit. I suppose that's why we went to Xanax.
I also read it's a respiratory depressant (it makes me snore). They originally gave me .25 for anxiety attacks, but I only used it once. Then later when I had trouble with TMJ, they gave me .50 for that.
Yes, my doctors do trust me; I've never had any addiction problems. (I'm 36; any addictive tendencies would have shown up by now.) I know it's addictive and I even know people who abuse it, but I only take it very rarely. I think the bottle I have now is almost a year old.
Oh yeah - and this is weird - when I have been given things that were definitely supposed to be muscle relaxants, they didn't affect me even one little bit. I suppose that's why we went to Xanax.
hbep
02-04-2004, 07:54 PM
Hello,
I just saw this post and wanted to add something. Benzos - including xanax and valium, can act as direct muscle relaxants and are frequently prescribed for that purpose. In fact often the mainstay of treatment from neurologists treating myoclonus - a condition that causes muscular jerking/spasm etc... are benzos. I was given a very low dose of valium to treat stapedial muscle spasm by an oral surgeon in a major dental hospital. It was amazingly effective. I was not given it for anxiety, nor was she qualified to treat an anxiety patient had I been one. Interestingly the other treatment they use to treat tmjd is notriptyline - a tricyclic anti depressant - not for depression but because it has been proven to be effective in the treatment of tmjd, by working on pain receptors in the brain, along with other conditions - migraine etc... Although I understand that the primary known use of xanax and other benzos is to treat anxiety, in terms of neuromuscular conditions they definitely aren't prescribed to treat anxiety with the hoped for side effect being one of muscle relaxation. I'm guessing that they act on the neuro/brain aspect of the condition that is causing the muscles to spasm.
Although I understand your reservations about benzos, if used sparingly and cautiously, with a full knowledge of their addictive qualities, they can be life altering. This is why I think it's important people understand their different uses, and don't deride their use too quickly. I was extremely glad that a tiny (2mg) and occasional dose of valium could quiet the violent vibration I experienced in my ears, had I been denied valium because it is possible for people to abuse them, I would have suffered unecessarily. My doctor was happy to prescribe it to me as I am not an addict but a patient who experiences horrible non anxiety related physical symptoms. Below is an article that states categorically that diazepam (valium) is a muscle relaxant.
Sorry to be pedantic, but for the reasons I've outlined above, this is important to me. I agree that on prescribing xanax, a doctor should inform a patient about its potentially addicting nature, and that it isn't only used as a muscle relaxant.
TINNITUS
Current Evaluation and Management
Written By
D. Scott Fortune MD
David S. Haynes MD
Jay W. Hall III PhD
Neurologic Disorders
Neurologic disorders that cause objective tinnitus include palatomyoclonus and idiopathic stapedial muscle spasm. Palatomyoclonus is characterized by an irregular clicking sound within the ear. The myoclonus is rapid with a rate between 40 and 200 beats/min and occurs intermittently. The sound is generated by the mucous membranes of the eustachian tube snapping together as the palatal musculature undergoes myoclonic contractions. Patients may also complain of aural fullness, hearing loss, or sound distortion. Symptoms are worsened by stress. Frequently a history of muscle spasm with occipital headaches or temporomandibular joint pain can be obtained. The diagnosis can be made on physical examination by listening for the noise with a Toynbee tube or viewing myoclonic jerks in the palate. Tympanometry can occasionally record movement synchronous with the palatal contractions. Rarely, electromyography of the palate is indicated to confirm the clinical diagnosis. Treatment of palatomyoclonus is medical. Antispasmodic agents and muscle relaxants, such as clonazepam or diazepam, are the mainstay of treatment. Neurologic consultation is useful for long-term management of these patients.
I just saw this post and wanted to add something. Benzos - including xanax and valium, can act as direct muscle relaxants and are frequently prescribed for that purpose. In fact often the mainstay of treatment from neurologists treating myoclonus - a condition that causes muscular jerking/spasm etc... are benzos. I was given a very low dose of valium to treat stapedial muscle spasm by an oral surgeon in a major dental hospital. It was amazingly effective. I was not given it for anxiety, nor was she qualified to treat an anxiety patient had I been one. Interestingly the other treatment they use to treat tmjd is notriptyline - a tricyclic anti depressant - not for depression but because it has been proven to be effective in the treatment of tmjd, by working on pain receptors in the brain, along with other conditions - migraine etc... Although I understand that the primary known use of xanax and other benzos is to treat anxiety, in terms of neuromuscular conditions they definitely aren't prescribed to treat anxiety with the hoped for side effect being one of muscle relaxation. I'm guessing that they act on the neuro/brain aspect of the condition that is causing the muscles to spasm.
Although I understand your reservations about benzos, if used sparingly and cautiously, with a full knowledge of their addictive qualities, they can be life altering. This is why I think it's important people understand their different uses, and don't deride their use too quickly. I was extremely glad that a tiny (2mg) and occasional dose of valium could quiet the violent vibration I experienced in my ears, had I been denied valium because it is possible for people to abuse them, I would have suffered unecessarily. My doctor was happy to prescribe it to me as I am not an addict but a patient who experiences horrible non anxiety related physical symptoms. Below is an article that states categorically that diazepam (valium) is a muscle relaxant.
Sorry to be pedantic, but for the reasons I've outlined above, this is important to me. I agree that on prescribing xanax, a doctor should inform a patient about its potentially addicting nature, and that it isn't only used as a muscle relaxant.
TINNITUS
Current Evaluation and Management
Written By
D. Scott Fortune MD
David S. Haynes MD
Jay W. Hall III PhD
Neurologic Disorders
Neurologic disorders that cause objective tinnitus include palatomyoclonus and idiopathic stapedial muscle spasm. Palatomyoclonus is characterized by an irregular clicking sound within the ear. The myoclonus is rapid with a rate between 40 and 200 beats/min and occurs intermittently. The sound is generated by the mucous membranes of the eustachian tube snapping together as the palatal musculature undergoes myoclonic contractions. Patients may also complain of aural fullness, hearing loss, or sound distortion. Symptoms are worsened by stress. Frequently a history of muscle spasm with occipital headaches or temporomandibular joint pain can be obtained. The diagnosis can be made on physical examination by listening for the noise with a Toynbee tube or viewing myoclonic jerks in the palate. Tympanometry can occasionally record movement synchronous with the palatal contractions. Rarely, electromyography of the palate is indicated to confirm the clinical diagnosis. Treatment of palatomyoclonus is medical. Antispasmodic agents and muscle relaxants, such as clonazepam or diazepam, are the mainstay of treatment. Neurologic consultation is useful for long-term management of these patients.
countrygal
02-04-2004, 11:15 PM
I too, have been diagnosed with TMJ by ENT. I have been having earaches since last May (both ears now). I was advised to go to a dentist that specialized in TMJ.I called the dentist that was referred for a appt. but the receptionist wasnt very helpful, I dont think she has ever had TMJ!!!! LOL (not many dr. choices close by) I have been told that a nite i grit and clench my teeth while i sleep.. Are the mouth pieces the splints you are talking about? If so are they expensive? Is there any other things i can try til i get in, for relief? Thanks
Crossbow
02-05-2004, 02:32 PM
I too, have been diagnosed with TMJ by ENT. I have been having earaches since last May (both ears now). I was advised to go to a dentist that specialized in TMJ.I called the dentist that was referred for a appt. but the receptionist wasnt very helpful, I dont think she has ever had TMJ!!!! LOL (not many dr. choices close by) I have been told that a nite i grit and clench my teeth while i sleep.. Are the mouth pieces the splints you are talking about? If so are they expensive? Is there any other things i can try til i get in, for relief? Thanks
Yes, those are the "splints" people are usually talking about, although there are other kinds of mouthpieces that are cheaper. I have a "soft occlusal guard" that was $150.
Yes, there are other things you can try: Eating only soft food, not chewing gum (ever) and practicing relaxation techniques.
Yes, those are the "splints" people are usually talking about, although there are other kinds of mouthpieces that are cheaper. I have a "soft occlusal guard" that was $150.
Yes, there are other things you can try: Eating only soft food, not chewing gum (ever) and practicing relaxation techniques.