Excrutiating left temple headaches... nothing helps!
I get these horrible left temple headaches and they are becoming more and more frequent. Right now my jaw is so tight my speech is even affected but these temple pains are a nightmare and I think the jaw tightness is making it worse.. things I've tried:
1. Advil
2. Tylenol
3. Combo of advil and tylenol
4. Ice
5. Heat
6. Stretching my head and neck
NOTHING helps but time and when the headache feels like stopping.
Does anyone else get these temple pains and if so, is there anything that helps?
Re: Excrutiating left temple headaches... nothing helps!
I have had similar headaches for years. i eventually found a great nuerologist who diagnosed me with migraines. (I thought migraines had to be the typical ones you see on TV, where they cover all the windows and can't handle sound or light). I did not see much improvement with the migraine medicine and it was very expensive, so I take just advil or excedrin. What I have noticed is that I believe they are caused by TMJ, as the last few years I started clenching my teeth(perhaps to deal with daily stress?), and I tend to do so more on the left side of my head, then by bedtime, my left jaw is sore.
I saw my dentist and he made a night guard for me. Between that, anti-inflammatories, and moist heat(BenGay or HotHands, etc.), it is always better in the morning.
While its not a cure, it is the way I deal with the same pain!
Re: Excrutiating left temple headaches... nothing helps!
Thanks so much, you guys.
I was literally on my way to the ER yesterday because the pain was so bad. I would have gone only I despise taking anything that makes me feel loopy or dizzy. I get enough light headed feelings from the TMJ stuff as is! I did deep breathing and walked around hoping to God it would lessen to at least a bearable situation.. I think the combination of advil and tylenol helped it finally. Now, I am back to my usual dull, but annoying pain and tightness until the next time I get this hellish pain.
I cannot take this anymore, the pain is SO BAD and there is nothing I can do about it. I also cannot tell if it's coming from my jaw or my neck since both are tight and hurt! I have muscular TMJ. All I know is the tightness in the jaw is making my speech suck too. I am slurring and sound idiotic sometimes when I speak.
This temple pain is pure hell though.
Who would I go see for trigger point therapy?
Last edited by ClevelandEuc; 07-25-2012 at 02:05 PM.
Re: Excrutiating left temple headaches... nothing helps!
In conjunction with my lower mandibular repositioning splint for my TMJ therapy, I started seeing a PT who was specially trained in TMJ. She did a lot of work on my neck, shoulders and and TMJ area. I had a referral to her for Cervicalgia and Myofascial pain. She did a lot of "passive" manipulation to help my muscles get out of spasm. For the facial muscles, whe was trained to to orofacial work. The releases of my masseter and pterygoid muscles really really hurt, but really really helped.
I was lucky to get a referral to a good therapist. Based upon my internet searches, it looks like some massage therapists and chiropractors also do trigger point work as well. It isn't easy to find. You might do well to do some searches under trigger point therapists, myofascial therapists, tmj massage, etc...
Have you read the book The TMJ Healing Plan: 10 steps to relieving headaches, neck pain and jaw disorders by Cynthia Peterson, PT? It is cheap and has tons of good information on all areas of dealing with the tmj pain, including info on trigger points, posture, breathing, relaxing, sleeping, tmj treatment options, muscles, ligaments, exercises, etc... Much of what she recommends, I had to learn from multiple specialists before the book came out. Her advice is much much cheaper though.
Re: Excrutiating left temple headaches... nothing helps!
I always found that a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a tissue and inhaling it always helped to alleviate the pain in my sinuses & temples. Or rubbing some lavender oil on my temples helped sometimes too.
Obviously getting diagnosed & treated properly......but in the meantime might be worth a try???
