Have had jaw joint problems since my car crash (PCS). Occasionally 3-4 times a year it gets infected. Usually it sorts itself out. Have been telling my GP for years and a year ago I finally got a referral for ENT.
An infection started last weekend, by Wednesday it had spread down my neck to the collar bone, into the ear, across the cheek and around eyes and above the ear to the temple. Managed to get some antibiotics and the infection seems to have reduced in some areas mentioned above but has now spread into the lower jaw under the molars and to the side of the neck and onto the scalp. The blood vessels at the side of the neck and above the collar bone are both swollen and pulsing.
I'm pretty spaced out and getting a bit delerious at times and half sleeping. I know the GP has given me antibiotics but I don't quite understand why some of the infection area has reduced but others are increasing and blood vessels are swelling up and pulsing. Any ideas would be handy.
Cant get touch with NHS numbers going round to dead ends. Website says search for symptoms on the internet. Dr google says carotid artery in neck, going to ear and across the face and another one goes to the back of the neck/skull, exactly where everything is except the jaw infection which is gone.
I would agree with Jen, but if you are having trouble getting through, I would present to A&E. I know hospitals are scary places at the moment, but they do have hot and cold treatment areas. Hot covid,cold non-covid. Sounds like you need medical treatment email earlier rather than later.
The pulsating might just be where blood vessels are getting squeezed, so you are feeling you pulse, usually reassuring, shows you are alive, but in these circumstances, it's like torture, each beat is like someone hitting a drum against your nerves.
Thanks both. Managed to get though to NHS, was questioned and they sent a taxi to get me. Saw the triage nurse and was asked to wait. The doctor came and said there was nothing he could do and said go to your GP on Monday and get a referral to the vascular dept to get the carotid arteries scanned. Also get a referral for the jaw and get the GP to expedite the current referral for the ENT. All the problems are congregating in one area around the ear, the inflammation from the jaw could cause all the other symptoms. There could be one issue or a number of them all acting on top of each other. Thanks for replying, was thinking of the worse case senario at one this morning.
Hoping too, have had enough really, want to move on in life. I was pretty impressed at how I handled the hospital lighting, it had no effect at all, just seemed normal. One bonus at least.
Glad you've found your way into the system - I'm very relieved for you. If they felt it was acute, I expect they would have hung onto you .
I was surprised in A &E last weekend that they were going to admit me if I couldn't have got anyone to stay with me at home.
Worse case scenarios are never good at one on the morning.
Years ago ( and pre TBI) essentially the nerve bundle between my ear and back of my jaw got badly inflamed and was exceptionally painful - it did resolve. Hope you get some answers and help - and let us know how you get on.
Thanks. Just hoping that this will finally get sorted out. It's been three and a half years since the accident. As I said to Boots above the bonus is my vision handled the hospital lighting, that's a first.
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