hi,i've neen having an earache in my left ear on and off for the past year or so. i've been treated for an ear infection and took antibiotics several times but the pain doesn't go away. my jaw also began to hurt, as well as my throat, all on the left side. when i move my jaw, sometimes it pops and there's also this weird grinding sound.i also noticed occasional neck and shoulder pain. do these symptoms indicate TMJ? also, i'm only 18, is it possible to get it so young? thanks
Hi Lily:
It is absolutely possible to get TMJ at a young age. I was 17 when I first began having problems with TMJ. And Cheryl's son is 14 I think so, yes, it is possible to have TMJ at 18.
Tiffany
thanx, well i guess i have to deal with it now. in a way, i'm relieved that it could be a TMJ disorder, at least it's not something more serious, like i worried it was
Hey lily,
Sometimes I wish it was something more serious, because then they can make it go away forever. TMJ I feel is very serious because it effects your whole body and a lot of people don't know what to do with a patient who has it. I don't mean to sound like a downer but I would take an ear infection any day over tmj.
well i still have to make sure that it is tmj. i would take an ear infection over it as well but i was worried there was something wrong with my lymph nodes or something. but as long as it's not life threatening,i can deal with it.
i also have a question, my jaw pops when i move it from side to side, not so much when i open my mouth, does that still count?
Hi Lily, I also have tmj and it affects my ear on my left side. I don't get ear infections but if I lay on it while I'm sleeping I wake up with terrible pain in my ear but it generally fades away after a few hours.
i have the same problem. i know that it's better to sleep on my back but i'm not used to that and sleep on my side, so every morning i wake up with an earache and sometimes a sore jaw. it's even worse when the weather is humid, not sure why
Need Help--Is It TMJ? 
