Neuralgia and GCA

[Graciejack4]

Hi all

Has anyone experienced symptoms of neuralgia alongside GCA, my GCA is well controlled on my current treatment but I’m getting severe pain in my face and bottom jaw and teeth it’s not typical of my GCA symptoms,. 🤔

[SnazzyD]

I can’t say what yours is but three things (I had them all) can happen with general Pred effects: temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems, dentine hypersensitivity and postural issues causing sternokleidomastoid tension (SKM).

Weak muscles, general deconditioning from Pred and/or loafing about more can cause two of them. If one is hyper vigilant for GCA they can mimic a number of the symptoms, especially SKM, but are easily helped by massage, physio, postural care, but I liked Bowen therapy. My Bowen lady was used to me calling in a panic asking her to work her magic to determine if it was a GCA flair. TMJ pain hurt with chewing but didn’t have that wider spread lactic acid burn feel that GCA did. These things settled with dose but I am still a bit prone.

No idea with the dentine but it caused me to have bouts of severe all tooth pain if I ate warm food when all I could do was hold my face and wait for it to go. My dentist nodded sagely when I mentioned it. It reduced with dose but I am left with some issues such that hot food and drink are a no no if I consume them too fast, but I now have receded gums too which doesn’t help.

healthline.com/health/stern...

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

healthline.com/health/tmj-d...

[Graciejack4 in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you for your reply, it’s a nightmare isn’t it!

[SnazzyD in reply to Graciejack4]

Keeping on top of of physical ‘house keeping’ with preventative measures helps clear the muddy waters.

[Broseley]

Yes I have always had neuralgia, since I was about 14. I used to worry that I had a brain tumour, as you do. But it comes and goes and is not there all the time, so I have just got used to it over the years.

[Gardening2811]

I have Trigenimal neuralgia and similar to you, it felt like it had changed from upper lip to lower jaw.

Gp thinks its actually eustacian tube in ear is blocked. One of the side affects of actemra injections can be blocked sinuses, I believe. It’s difficult to know whether the pain is GCA or Trigenimal neuralgia or blocked eustacian tube!

Also Alendronic acid can have an adverse affect on the jaw! 🤷‍♀️

[Graciejack4 in reply to Gardening2811]

I know, it’s so difficult to distinguish isn’t it! I’ve spoken to my Rheumatology nurse who doesn’t know 😳