Sinusitis, TMJ or something else?
Question:
Yev, have a rheumatologist test you for Temporal Arteritis (Giant Cell Arteritis). Not likely, but very serious if that should happen to be it. Bruce
Response:
On 4 Aug 2003 18:54:46 -0700, ye…@yahoo.com (Yev) wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi, >I’ve been having some kind of symptoms and pain on the left side of my >face but still have no clue of what it is. Does anyone have or know >about these kinds of symptoms?: >I have some pain which feels at the top of my head or lower on the >side of the face. Sometimes it’s pretty strong and it feels like >stabbing pain, like someone put a knife through the top of my head. >It is connected somehow to my upper left molars, because if I press on >any of those teeth this stabbing sensation increases. It gets worse >if I have to eat, drink, speak and especially rinse my mouth. It gets >better if I dont move my head or jaw or anything, but it still doesn’t >completely go away. Also there is some general pressure in the upper >left side of my face. >My dentist checked my teeth and didn’t find any problem. My PCP >thought it’s a sinus infection and gave me antibiotic for 3 weeks but >the situation didn’t seem to improve much. Now he wants me to take >sinus CT, but I m kind of concerned about radiation from that, cuz >also recently i had upper GI for stomach. >Today i went to ENT doctor and he thinks it is TMJ. >My dentist says I should take panoramic dental X-ray, because it will >also show sinus problems. I would rather take that than CT scan. >Would anyone have a clue? Should I take panoramic x-ray, or I have to >take CT(I would really like to avoid that). Would MRI help? Any home >treatment I should do?
Panoramic is much lower radiation than CT – most dentists require panoramic every couple of years anyway. I would have that done. Also could be root canal disease (endontic).. Can easily be tested for and panroamic will help. A single CT scan will not be a much of a risk at all, later, if needed. Ask if it can be done at a coarse step interval.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Don Brady <dbr…@pobox.com> wrote in message <news:8i6uiv4783g0dp63mc43dbe4k2au0dv06a@4ax.com>… > On 4 Aug 2003 18:54:46 -0700, ye…@yahoo.com (Yev) wrote: > >Hi, > >I’ve been having some kind of symptoms and pain on the left side of my > >face but still have no clue of what it is. Does anyone have or know > >about these kinds of symptoms?: > >I have some pain which feels at the top of my head or lower on the > >side of the face. Sometimes it’s pretty strong and it feels like > >stabbing pain, like someone put a knife through the top of my head. > >It is connected somehow to my upper left molars, because if I press on > >any of those teeth this stabbing sensation increases. It gets worse > >if I have to eat, drink, speak and especially rinse my mouth. It gets > >better if I dont move my head or jaw or anything, but it still doesn’t > >completely go away. Also there is some general pressure in the upper > >left side of my face. > >My dentist checked my teeth and didn’t find any problem. My PCP > >thought it’s a sinus infection and gave me antibiotic for 3 weeks but > >the situation didn’t seem to improve much. Now he wants me to take > >sinus CT, but I m kind of concerned about radiation from that, cuz > >also recently i had upper GI for stomach. > >Today i went to ENT doctor and he thinks it is TMJ. > >My dentist says I should take panoramic dental X-ray, because it will > >also show sinus problems. I would rather take that than CT scan. > >Would anyone have a clue? Should I take panoramic x-ray, or I have to > >take CT(I would really like to avoid that). Would MRI help? Any home > >treatment I should do? > Panoramic is much lower radiation than CT – most dentists require panoramic > every couple of years anyway. I would have that done. > Also could be root canal disease (endontic).. Can easily be tested for and > panroamic will help. > A single CT scan will not be a much of a risk at all, later, if needed. Ask > if it can be done at a coarse step interval.
Hello, thank you for the advice. I m starting to think that the ENT was right and its TMJ, because the pain gets worse when I move my jaw, and almost goes away when i stay still. I have no idea how to treat this though. I doubt it’s endodontic because they already checked xrays of my teeth. Maybe panoramic will be a good idea. Are there any specialists who diagnose and treat TMJ or do dentists do that? I would hate to go to dentist again since my dental insurance already reached the maximum for this year. Thanks, Yev
Response:
On 10 Aug 2003 16:59:04 -0700, ye…@yahoo.com (Yev) wrote: >Hello, thank you for the advice. >I m starting to think that the ENT was right and its TMJ, because the >pain gets worse when I move my jaw, and almost goes away when i stay >still. I have no idea how to treat this though. I doubt it’s >endodontic because they already checked xrays of my teeth. Maybe >panoramic will be a good idea. Are there any specialists who diagnose >and treat TMJ or do dentists do that?
It is tested by dentists. However, it is a very tricky thing to treat and I would hunt very carefully before selecting one. It is often over-treated and incorrectly treated. Best bet might be to go to the private practice at a University Dental School near you. > I would hate to go to dentist >again since my dental insurance already reached the maximum for this >year.
It should not be expensive to treat. Among many possible causes, the most frequent is nightime tooth-grinding. If that is the cause, a night-guard worn at night will likely solve the problem….
Response:
On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 20:38:41 -0400, Don Brady <dbr…@pobox.com> wrote: >It is tested by dentists.
I meant it is treated by dentists….
Response:
re TMJ treatment: many TMJ have muscles out of balance. When they open the jaw, it goes way to one side, because the muscles aren’t balanced. One method to try is to draw a straight line on the mirror, vertical, and practice opening your jaw in the midline. If successful, the muscles balance and then the joint is "balanced". More details at www.ent-consult.com. Murray Grossan, M.D. http://www.ent-consult.com http://www.hydromedonline.com/presentingthehydropulse/
Response:
Hi, I’ve been having some kind of symptoms and pain on the left side of my face but still have no clue of what it is. Does anyone have or know about these kinds of symptoms?: I have some pain which feels at the top of my head or lower on the side of the face. Sometimes it’s pretty strong and it feels like stabbing pain, like someone put a knife through the top of my head. It is connected somehow to my upper left molars, because if I press on any of those teeth this stabbing sensation increases. It gets worse if I have to eat, drink, speak and especially rinse my mouth. It gets better if I dont move my head or jaw or anything, but it still doesn’t completely go away. Also there is some general pressure in the upper left side of my face. My dentist checked my teeth and didn’t find any problem. My PCP thought it’s a sinus infection and gave me antibiotic for 3 weeks but the situation didn’t seem to improve much. Now he wants me to take sinus CT, but I m kind of concerned about radiation from that, cuz also recently i had upper GI for stomach. Today i went to ENT doctor and he thinks it is TMJ. My dentist says I should take panoramic dental X-ray, because it will also show sinus problems. I would rather take that than CT scan. Would anyone have a clue? Should I take panoramic x-ray, or I have to take CT(I would really like to avoid that). Would MRI help? Any home treatment I should do? Sorry for a big post and thanks in advance, Yev
Response:
Filed under: Sinusitis
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