oh yes--i get it all the time-----i think that you should get a chiropractor and a neuromuscular dentist. they could put you on a muscle relaxer

I was hoping more people got this. Guess its extreme or more rare form of tmj. I hate it. Scares me when they spasm.

no its not extreme or rare---just not a whole lot of people are here right now. spasms aare caused by tired muscles. try to relax ----and get in to a doctor:)

I have had this same feeling for the past 6-8 months and I had given up hope. Just recently I finally found a Dr that had a clue and diagnosed me as having TMJ and boy do I feel so much better having an idea of what this may be. No offense to anyone but I am glad you have similar symptoms because I was going nuts thinking I was alone. My problem was caused by chewing on straws after I quit smoking. I know it sounds dumb but it is true. I would chew on straws from the am to the pm. All day!!! I guess I have done some real damage and now I am suffering. I have been on the emotional roller coaster of TMJ symptoms since Nov '07. My symptoms started with a pressing feeling on the right side of my head and a thumping/pulsating feeling just above my ear. I thought it was an anuerism or brain tumor so of course my anxiety kicked in full effect and I thought I was dying. I would have serious attacks so I went to a Dr and they put me on Lorezapam to help. It worked but the pain was still there. I went to a neurologist and they sent me for an MRI and it came back negative and the Dr told me to relax nothing was wrong and basically sent me away saying I was crazy. Not fun!!! So I went along taking my meds and being a zombie. It was very frustrating. I went to a bunch of different Drs and they had no clue what it could be. I finally went to a normal Dr who was really nice and worked out what it was. It was like a light bulb went off when she asked if I chewed on anything regularly. I said damn straws!!! Since then I have been going to ENTs and dentists and they havent given me a valid way to get this to go away. I guess it is something I will have to live with. The one good thing is that my anxiety has subsided because Ihave an idea of what it is now. The best fix so far has been a night guard which relieves my jaw while sleeping. Beyond that the other good thing to do is get back massages and take advil. Thanks for posting you guys definitely have the same symptoms and it feels good to know I am not crazy. With that said keep searching for a fix and I will let you know how I progress. Good luck...

if you need doctors that have a clue---let me know i can help out with that

I guess i'll give it a try. What doctors have a clue? I'm in albuquerque.

pm me ok? we can talk further about this there OK?

I had this yesterday and it traveled into my ear. I've had this condition for a while. It only happens every now and then and I thought I was just getting run down. I'm starting to think TMJ makes sense. My mother had the same condition.

this thing is bad and nobody understands what your going threw ,but you guys thanks ive had this pain and spasm above my ear and i wont to chop my pwn head off , ive now got dizzyness with it and neck pain and even feel i cant walk straight one min im crying then im feeling mad as hell ,it makes me feel im looseing my mind also by my temples my brain feels like it is being squeezed to death and i have it 24 hours ,dr anser is take pain killers ,great ive told him im god dam rattleing when i walk ive took so much pain killers ,thats when i can keep my eyes open to find them and swollow then ,jesus there has to be a anser to this alful pain.?

I have the same feelings in my head Im pretty sure i have tmj also. I used to think i had a tumor or something and it freaked me out until i had an mri done and it came back normal. My left jaw goes numb and inflamed the only way to get it down is nurofen. I have neck problems also i think it's from stress and also jittering my teeth in my sleep. but im so glad there are others the same cause i hate it and i freak myself out especially at night when i wake suddenly with the spasms.

Sorry for saying this but I am so glad to find other people who are going through this as well. My doctor told me I was imagining the spasm or trembling. I feel it in my head whenever I try to relax. I've had a CAT SCAN, an MRI, treatment for an innner ear disorder...but the doctor can't fingure out what is causing the spasm and the tinnitus. I recently disocoverd my teeth are moving...just slightly but I can feel they are not solid. The dentist thinks I need a mouth guard. Should I go through the process? I'm scared to get the mold made since my teeth don't feel solid!

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation on this board. Stop trying to fight your spasms. The spasms are there to either stabilize inflamed areas to protect the process of healing, or to prevent further permanent damage if such damage has occurred. Stop trying to fight them, and you will actually somewhat better.

The other assorted symptoms you mention are often related to the inflammatory processes underway. Look up how inflammation works in the cases of injuries and you may get insight.

Now, the fact that you have inflammation like this tells me you don't have a good-fitting night guard. You nned to either find a good dentist who can make one that will end the pain and spasms or make one yourself with the suggestions in another post of mine. You want to try to get a good MRI of your jaw joints ahead of time, if you can, with someone competent to interpret it. The latter are hard to find.

If you want some relief, muscle relaxers only work temporarily, so try some non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic drugs. Go to a psychiatrist to get these, because dentists and GPs are knowledgeable enough to prescribe them. They may not only lesson the severity of the spasms, but may actually slow your bruxing down some too.

If all else fails, don't go in for neuromuscular dentistry or any approach that seeks to alter your bite. Go to an oral surgeon and get some Botox in the chewing muscles. Not many oral surgeons offer this service, so call around.