Ear pain

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Tracy Johnson - 15 Jul 2004 18:52 GMT

Hi everyone,

I have just spent some time searching the newsgroup archives, and elsewhere
on the internet, to try to figure out what's going on here. I couldn't find
anything that sounded quite right, though I *suspect* it's TMJ... but
figured I'd ask you guys about this.

I'm wondering if any of you have experienced pain ABOVE the ear? I have a
very tender, sore spot right above my ear and it's driving me absolutely
crazy. I read that TMJ symptoms can include ear pain but everything sounds
more like it's IN the ear, so I'm not sure if this is the same thing. On the
other hand, just yesterday -- for the first time, and it didn't happen
today -- I had a sore jaw on that same side of my head and it hurt to open
my mouth too wide until I had taken my a.m. prednisone and NSAID.

I also notice that if I sleep on that side, my whole ear kind of aches when
I wake up, kind of like the cartilage and everything is just a bit tender to
the touch. (But the pain directly above the ear is much worse, and it never
really goes away.)

I know TMJ can affect a lot of patients with RA and PA, so I'm wondering if
those of you who have TMJ have experienced this kind of pain. If not, anyone
have any suggestions about what this might be? (I will be talking to my
rheumy about this, but in the meantime, I'm just curious.)

Thanks,

Tracy

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DeeTee and Bob Taggart - 15 Jul 2004 19:15 GMT

Try looking here:

http://www.tna-support.org/ Trigeminal Neuralgia

DeeTee
________________________________
DeeTee and Bob Taggart
http://www.marykay.com/dtaggart3
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> Hi everyone,
>
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>
> Tracy

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Tracy Johnson - 15 Jul 2004 20:55 GMT

> Try looking here:
>
> http://www.tna-support.org/ Trigeminal Neuralgia

Geez, that disease sounds horrible! I read on there that they call it the
"suicide disease"? Yikes. Thankfully for me, it doesn't sound right, because
my pain is very consistent and this sounds more like sharp, shooting pains,
etc. rather than a chronic ache.

Tracy

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Nann Bell - 15 Jul 2004 20:52 GMT

Is it directly above the ear, or somewhat in front of it? I get pain from my
TMJ just in front of the ear and a bit above in that softer area before you
turn into all skull and hair ;) I first associated it with TMJ because it
would be really tender when my jow was aching. Since then I've discovered if
it's tender and I massage it, it releases my jow some also. There is a
muscle there that connects into jaw. Here's the best illustration I've could
find quickly.

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Tracy Johnson - 15 Jul 2004 20:54 GMT

> Is it directly above the ear, or somewhat in front of it? I get pain from my
> TMJ just in front of the ear and a bit above in that softer area before you
> turn into all skull and hair ;)

LOL. It's fun trying to describe this stuff online without pictures
sometimes, isn't it? Anyway... no, it's actually directly above the ear. The
pain I had yesterday in my jaw seemed to generate more from the area you
indicate, but the consistent pain I'm experiencing is actually above the
ear, not in front.

Tracy

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