temple area swollen after persistent headache - General Health Message Board

creativename · 08-18-2008, 01:22 AM

OK, so, I'm really annoyed at being kept awake with this, and just having to deal with it in general. Posted on another forum, but didn't get any help, so advice is appreciated.

For the past 5 1/2 weeks, I've had a really odd headache in my left temple area. The exact location of it is above my ear/ next to my eyebrow. It started as a dull pressure, but I went to the doctors when it became too unbearable. She thought I had a tooth abscess, prescribed amoxicillin, and told me to go to the dentist.

A week later, the dentist told me I didn't have an abscess, and thought the cause of this was an impacted wisdom tooth. All four are impacted, and the bottom 2 are showing through the gums, but I only have pain in this one area in my temple and not so much my teeth. The dentist won't have an opening to extract my teeth until November.

Anyway, 2 weeks later now, and the pain is just so, so annoying. It's really disappointing because I had almost a week in between the dentist and now where I thought I had it under control by taking ibuprofen. It seems to get worse as the day goes on and when I'm laying down, trying to fall asleep. Sometimes when I wake up, it's very faint or almost gone. Once it gets bad, it can last for hours. It's like a pressure that comes in waves; sort of like a throbbing pressure, but doesn't hurt until it's been going on for a while. The throbbing lasts for a few seconds, goes away, and then comes back again. At the worst, I've also had tingling pain along my check and that general area, and twitching of my eye/ check/ lip, etc as well as occasional shock-like pain, and even pain in my neck/ back of my head.

I'm only continuing to wonder about it now because now the area in my temple is swollen. Tonight I've tried but can't get to sleep due to this even after taking 2 500mg ibuprofens within the last 2 hours. I'm just wondering, if it's my wisdom tooth that's causing the problem, why would it be swollen and hurt in my temple, and not further down my face near the actual tooth?

I would very much appreciate any opinions because I really don't want to deal with this anymore! Thanks!

midwest1 · 08-18-2008, 09:50 AM

Investigate "temporal arteritis" (not to be confused with "arthritis", which is very different). It's inflammation of the arteries, most notably in the head. The main artery running through the temple is usually affected. I can't believe a medical professional wouldn't know you have the main symptoms of it! Go back to the medical doctor and tell her you want to be evaluated for temporal arteritis.

Read here about the condition:
[url] http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000448.htm [/url]

Nic5 · 08-18-2008, 05:58 PM

Also sounds like possible atypical neuralgia, mine does that at times also, but i tend to swell from my jawline up past my temple. Again its one that doctors always tend to miss as its very unusual (or miss diagnosed) in patients under 50.

may be worth looking up.

creativename · 08-21-2008, 09:17 PM

Thank you both very much, I appreciate it.

I haven't slept very well at all because of this, and last night I was awoken in pain during 2 times. ack!

I'm not sure about the temporal arteritis, but then again that is the area that's bothering me. From what I can find, it makes the temporal veins swell. However, just that area is swollen, not really the vein. it's like a bump or something near my eye-ish/ above my ear, not huge or anything, but enough so that my brother pointed it out. Thanks, though, I'll keep it in mind and point it out if I need to!

Neuralgia does seem like something I've been experiencing at times. So, that can cause swelling and such? Would that account for the pressure feeling as well/ do you get any of those symptoms as well? Could neuralgia in fact be caused by my wisdom tooth, even though my other impacted teeth aren't giving me symptoms on the other side?

Either way, I'm going to the doctors soon for my physical and will mention it then, and will hopefully get these danged wisdom tooth out asap (it would be nice if this ended after that >.<). I can't wait until I don't have to deal with this constantly anymore. Of course, any other advice is appreciated! Thanks!

Nic5 · 08-21-2008, 11:02 PM

I have Atypical neuralgia, which is slightly different to the main neuralgia d/x. How mine works is that instead of sharp spikes of pain for a couple of minutes, i get what i describe as 'the mother of all toothaches' running from my neck to my temple and ear.

As far as I know neuralgia is triggered and can either stay with you for life, or not come back once the trigger is removed. In your case its possible its the teeth and once that is gone then the neuralgia will also. hopefully thats what it is as neuralgia is one of those with no cure.

Definatly worth a mention to your doctor though, both of them. Dont let them fob you off with lame d/x though, This definatly needs looking into.

Hope you get some answers soon.