First some history on me. I was diagnosed with TMJ in 1986. Very classic case - Teeth on right side higher than teeth on left - involunatry clenching overnight, locked jaw in the morning, clunky jaw all day long. I was lucky in that I never had any pain, so I pretty much ignored it. In 2001 I switched to a new dentist, and when I was mentioning my history, he flipped over the lack of treatment from my old dentist, and got me a soft splint right away. This worked great, until I wore right through it 9 months later. He refitted me with an acrylic splint, which has been OK, but not perfect. I have had it adjusted several times, but it has not been as good as the soft splint. Again, no pain from the TMJ - just the clunky jaw.
Back to the problem at hand - In mid November I developed an odd 'tingling' sensation over my left ear (my TMJ side). Basically, it felt like crawling skin that would move all over my ear to temple and almost to my eye. However, there is no numbness to the skin at all, so it isn't like nerve damage exactly. I also developed very occasional dizziness and tinnitus. My doctor sent me for bloodwork, audiogram and CT scan. All of which showed normal. He has told me not to worry that it is only a neuralgia of some kind. I asked if he thought there could be connection to my TMJ, but he felt this was unlikely.
If I look at an anatomy picture of the skull, the tingling is almost exactly all around that fan-shaped muscle that attaches the jaw to the skull. Occasionally I get an identical tingling in the right side muscle.
Here are the wierd things about it:
A) The tingling will instantly stop if I touch the area, but will come back in a couple of seconds to minutes.
B) Although I am a hard nighttime clencher, the tingling in NON existent in the morning. It will usually appear around 10 - 4 PM, and is always there by nighttime. I do not clench in the daytime.
c) It always starts like a mild tingling, but by night time it is almost a painful pressure.
d) It seems to disappear (or at least I don't notice it) if I am talking, eating, or outside in the cold.
My dentist has now referred me to a TMJ clinic, but i will be months on the waiting list. So, my question is:
Does this sound like a TMJ symptom?
It seems to be the reverse of what I would have guessed (ie, it seems to get worse the more I rest the jaw .. and better, the more I chew, talk, or overnight clench).
Just an update as well - when the 'tingling' turns to the mildly-painful pressure sensation, I could better describe it as tension... It's like a good old fashioned tension headache, only it is is a band over my ear to my temple. When it is at it's worst, I feel the identical tension sensation in both left and right sides of my head.
I have also noticed an odd connection to shivering - ie, makes the tingling worse... but stopping shivering does not make it go away...just lessens a little. Only sleep seems to eliminate it entirely.
I really think this is somehow muscular related, and the 'tingling' I am feeling is some odd muscle cramp/twiching/trembling something...
i get that same feeling in my right ear. i describe it as something crawling in my ear...its really weird and people look at me like im crazy when i say that!! lol im a clencher too, only all day, and at night. i dont, however, get pains in my ear. its just the tingly, crawly feeling. i'll tell u what, u r soooo lucky u dont get the pains, cuz i sure do. right now i dont have pain, just the tension in the right side which makes me crack it. but the cracking always leads to pain later, i just cant help myself though.
Here are the wierd things about it:
A) The tingling will instantly stop if I touch the area, but will come back in a couple of seconds to minutes.
B) Although I am a hard nighttime clencher, the tingling in NON existent in the morning. It will usually appear around 10 - 4 PM, and is always there by nighttime. I do not clench in the daytime.
c) It always starts like a mild tingling, but by night time it is almost a painful pressure.
d) It seems to disappear (or at least I don't notice it) if I am talking, eating, or outside in the cold.
I do have these exact symptoms. Except for the cold weather does not make it go away.
I can't tell you exactly why i get this or what it is. I have never received a satisfactory answer from any doctors (who seem to think it is stress.) Which I am not stressed. One doctor said that a forward head posture can cause these symptoms. The muscles get sore as the day wears on? Inflammation sets in as you use the muscle and that entraps or irritates a nerve?
I have had this for 2 years now, splints haven't helped me.
Good luck to you and maybe you can get yourself on the calling list to that clinic in case they have any cancellations.
I have the same symptoms! I have tingling on the right side, over the ear, intp the temple. It seems to come and go- with stress. I have had TMJ for over 20 years but now it is affecting my ears. I am having trouble with my eusthacain tubes being blocked and it seems to have something to do with my TMJ. Has anyone had trouble with that also? I work for an Orthodontist and I wear a soft nightguard for the grinding.
It is great to know you are not alone! Thanks for writing back folks. I do consider myself lucky to not have the jaw pain that some of you are suffering. I can only say that I have suffered from migraines for years, so I am no stranger to pain itself.
I am nearly convinced the tingling is somehow muscular but haven't pieced it all together yet. Looking at anatomy pictures of the skull it is definately tingling in the temporalis muscle. Tonight the tingling is bad... it is banding from behind my ear through my temple right into my eye. I have no double-vision though, so I think that proves it is just a sensation in my eye, and not actually affecting the eye muscles.... Also feeling a little tingling on the right as well. I have to keep remining myself to be positive about it, as the CT showed normal, and my MD said the CT would should anything large enough to be worried about (other than MS or something like that.. which is unlikely given my family history).... So, I am trying to keep the chin up.
My referral to the TMJ specialist is now for late April. Here is hoping that the symptoms are somehow related to the TMJ -
Anyone have similar stories to share?
Last edited by surferstick; 03-07-2005 at 03:52 AM.
Reason: Added detail.
I get tingling all over the scalp, as well as in my right temple and upper jaw. I also notice an odd connection to shivering. Feeling chilled makes it worse. And so does laughing hard singing, and "going to the bathroom" (sorry to be graphic, but that always brings on the scalp tingling). I have no idea why, and doctors just stare at me if I mention it.
I don't know what the heck I have going on. Tender, stiff neck, shoulders and upper back; tightness and/or feelings of pressure in my right temple and the top of my head, mostly on the right side, but not entirely. Sore, runny eyes that ache after just an hour or so of reading or sewing. Sometimes pressure behind the eyes, so that it's tough to focus without pain. Soreness right under my right ear and a feeling that the ear is clogged or that there's pressure there. A generally groggy, tired feeling much of the time. I've had this for years, but it has become a daily thing recently, and I sometimes call off things I'd like to do because I just don't feel clearheaded and have little energy. I've been checked for sinus (x-ray normal). Normal CDC, so no infection. Neurologist says nothing like a brain tumor. I'm going to another neurologist and will ask him whether to see a TMJ specialist, and ear doctor, or what.
Any advice?
Quote:
Originally Posted by surferstick
So I am alone on this?
Just an update as well - when the 'tingling' turns to the mildly-painful pressure sensation, I could better describe it as tension... It's like a good old fashioned tension headache, only it is is a band over my ear to my temple. When it is at it's worst, I feel the identical tension sensation in both left and right sides of my head.
I have also noticed an odd connection to shivering - ie, makes the tingling worse... but stopping shivering does not make it go away...just lessens a little. Only sleep seems to eliminate it entirely.
I really think this is somehow muscular related, and the 'tingling' I am feeling is some odd muscle cramp/twiching/trembling something...
WOW! It could have been me describing those symtoms then! I was just going insane worrying about this feeling and came across this thread! I have had it for a few years now above the right ear, around the temple and sometimes across the eye. I have been clenching my jaw for as long as I can remember and it is getting progressively worse. Its a relief to know that others suffer this too, I was getting obsessive thinking it was some kind of serious brain illness, but I hate to think others suffer like I am with this. Big hugs to you all
I have the tingling, skin crawling, electric shocks also but have noticed when I feel it very shortly afterwards I swell. Sometimes not very much but enough that I can see it. Has anyone noticed swelling after feeling this?
Shirlett
I have suffer this for 24 years plus and it is getting worse have had it for over two weekds this time.
Sore face, tingling had and feet, blocked ear, burning neck and shoulders and blocked mucus behind nose which is driving me crazy any one else out there have this
I get tingling across the bridge of my nose. I 've seen an ENT, a Neurologist, had an MRI. Everyone says i'm fine - they don't know what it is.
Now i've come to discover on my own that i probably have TMJ (I have about 15 of the sumptoms listed on the beginning of each page, including headaches, stiff neck/shoulders and sensitivity to light). This tingling though is super annoying! btw - no swelling.
I was really glad to see this thread. Does anyone have sensitivity wearing their glasses (temple area)?? It is throbbing,tingly,and sort of achy pain.
This is especially bad when wearing my glasses or lying on my pillow.
-temple pain and tingly sensitivity when wearing glasses etc.
- I have the ear pain and fullness.
-numb tingly feeling right below right ear.
-eye pain especially in the early morning.
-glands in neck below ear and down neck sore.
-dizziness when turning head quickly.
-I do have forward head problem.
-burning tongue
I have osteoarthritis,Fibromyalgia and TMJ( A Dr. of Oral Medicine in the Dental Dept. at the University said that it was likely I have TMJ) and Acid Reflux Disease.
Anyone relate to theses symptoms?( Especially the temple sensitivity)
I have also had this tingling sensation around my right ear for years. I saw a TMJ specialist years ago without any help. I notice that it sometimes goes away if I shift my jaw over to the left side. I am also a clencher. This is my only symptom, no pain no other areas of tingling. I am glad to hear that I'm not the only one, maybe someone will figure out what this is. I have come to the conclusion that I'm just going to have to live with it.
I'm the one who started this thread eirrac/Madge. It's seven years later, and I still have the same tingling on my scalp, only now it's more widespread. It's still triggered when I'm chilled, or sing, or laugh hard, although sometimes I get it without those things. I have all the other problems too, plugged right ear and tinnitus, sensitive and tearing eyes with headache behind and between them. Sometimes I have a day of dizziness/vertigo and now and then I feel lightheaded. Not much nasal congestion, though. I had an MRI with dye done in 2005, but results were normal. So the blood vessels were okay.
I do have one new symptom that concerns me a little. When I go up stairs, or just walk fast, my heart beats hard. This isn't real exercising...I mean just walking around in the house or going down to the basement to put in a load of laundry. Heart rate isn't all that fast, just hard. I can feel it pounding in my head and chest. And now I hear it in my right (plugged) ear too. It can last for up to an hour before it calms down. I've also developed an heart arrhythmia in the last year, but had it checked out by a heart rhythm specialist and he said it was nothing to worry about and I didn't need medication. (I am 68 years old, so I can't expect to have the heart I had when I was 20.) But the pounding heart thing is recent...just the last three weeks or so.
Just went to an ear-nose-throat doctor two weeks ago. He prescribed Nasonex (steroid nasal spray that reduces inflammation) for one month, and then another appointment. I've used Nasonex before, so wasn't afraid to try it again. The thing is, now the Nasonex seems to make me feel shaky and anxious and I have more headaches (these are side effects of the medication that didn't bother me the other time I used Nasones.)
I'm not getting any relief from the heart pounding when I have to do something like go upstairs or downstairs, walk a block or so, go shopping, etc. The pounding is frightening and hearing my pulse in my right ear drives me nuts. The ear doctor did say that if the Nasonex doesn't help, I'll have to have a cat scan and maybe other tests. Now THAT is kind of worrying.
Just wanted to get back to those of you who have posted on this board. Not sure some of you will see it, though. Hope some of you have seen your symptoms clear up. Unfortunately, mine haven't. The good news about the tingling, etc., is that it wasn't anything serious. Although with this new heart pounding thing, I don't know what to expect.
Thanks for writing back folks. I do consider myself lucky to not have the jaw pain that some of you are suffering. I can only say that I have suffered from migraines for years, so I am no stranger to pain itself.
Re: Is this another TMJ Symptom? (tingling) 
It is throbbing,tingly,and sort of achy pain.
