Re: MIGRAINES AND LOCK JAW?

July 29, 2004

You may have TMJ. I can't spell the full name of it, but it is a disorder in

the joint of your jaw. Basically the cartilage in the ball joint gets displaced

or worn down and when your bottom jaw bone is forced back into the socket there

is no cartilage to cushion it. Over time it makes that socket more and more

painful. I have had this problem since I was a small child and they have

determined that it is hereditary, my father had it too. They made me a mouth

piece that at the beginning I had to wear 24 hours because I could not open my

mouth very wide either. They had a hard time just getting the mouth piece in my

mouth. Over time with wearing the mouth piece, which keeps your back teeth from

touching and therefore does not allow the ball of your bottom jaw to come in

contact with the inflamed socket, you get to feeling better. I now have to

sleep with it at night. Part of mine is caused by the fact that I clamp my

teeth down at night. Did not realize that I did so until I had the mouth piece

in my mouth. That may or may not be your problem, but what is going on with you

sounds like me.

Ok, I sound like a hypochondriac, but I also have migraines. I have headaches

as long as I have memory. The doctors can't figure out why I have them, I just

do. But migraines can come on for a variety of reasons. Stress, menstrual

cycle, even smells and some foods can trigger a migraine. I am not on any

specific medicines for it because I don't have them very often and an Excedrin

Migraine (which I might not be able to take after surgery) seem to clear them

up. My suggestion on how you will feel better. Lay down in a cool, quite, and

hopefully dark room with a wet washrag over your eyes. I also have one of those

cool masks that I put on the back of my head where all my migraines start. This

should help to alleviate them. Be careful with them though. If they get bad

enough you can get to the point, if you are out, that you can't drive home

because they can affect your vision.

So to ramble so, but I hope this helped.

Dora in Tennessee

Lap/Open RNY 9/20/2004

Vanderbilt Hospital

451/445.6/150

MIGRAINES AND LOCK JAW?

Has anyone had migraines or a locked jaw since surgery? I had my

surgery May 27, 2004. For the last two and a half weeks I have had a

horrible migraine daily. Last night after " lunch " at about 8pm, my

jaw on the right side locked. I am going to my dentist to see if it

is unrelated to surgery and see if he knows what the problem is. I

went to a doctor for the migraines and they prescribed me a

sublingual pill. It doesn't really help though. Just wondering if

anyone has had these symptoms. I cannot open my mouth to even talk

today and I fear that I will not be able to eat. Please let me know

if anyone has even ever heard of this.

Bethany

281/261/222/150

July 29, 2004

Hi Bethany,

It's interesting that there are several of us with both these issues.

I've had migraines since I was a child. You didn't mention if you are

a chronic migraine sufferer or not.

I woke up from my surgery with a migraine. It worsened with each

post-op day. I was doing so well surgically, that had it not been for

the migraine, I would have been able to go home sooner. As it was, I

was lucky to get out after 4 days, it got so severe.

The migraines continued for at least two weeks after the surgery. I

don't know if it was the anesthesia, the morphine pump, the shock to

my body from the surgery, or a combination. But whatever the cause, I

got locked into a cycle and couldn't get it to stop.

After forcing myself to go through the minor ones using only

symptomatic relief (dark, quiet, ice packs, hot showers, etc) I was

finally able to break through.

I take Imitrex for my migraines. It is, fortunately, a small enough

pill that I am still able to take it by mouth. But this isn't a

medication they just hand out a prescription for. You have to have it

the first time in the presence of a physician in case you're one of

the few who have a cardiac effect from it.

As for the jaw problem, the surgery itself would most definitely cause

it. The anesthesiologist has to open your mouth quite far to intubate

you during the surgery.

Even if it is TMJ, another chronic condition, the effects come and go.

You should be able to eat still.

Debi

> Has anyone had migraines or a locked jaw since surgery? I had my

> surgery May 27, 2004. For the last two and a half weeks I have had a

> horrible migraine daily. Last night after " lunch " at about 8pm, my

> jaw on the right side locked. I am going to my dentist to see if it

> is unrelated to surgery and see if he knows what the problem is. I

> went to a doctor for the migraines and they prescribed me a

> sublingual pill. It doesn't really help though. Just wondering if

> anyone has had these symptoms. I cannot open my mouth to even talk

> today and I fear that I will not be able to eat. Please let me know

> if anyone has even ever heard of this.

>

> Bethany

> 281/261/222/150

July 29, 2004

I had a blinding headache for 2 days, and finally got rid of it with an

adult dosage of pediatric liquid tylenol (generic version), followed

two hours later with extra-strength tylenol capsules. I also increased

my blood pressure meds to their pre-surgery levels. (Years ago, when I

got my blood pressure under control, my migraines disappeared.)

Mark

Phoenix, AZ