Ear aches and tmj pain go hand in hand. They occupy the same general area. My pcp had me do an mri of the tmj and thats how she diagnosed degenerative tmj.

Hi, @A MyFibroTeam Member and @A MyFibroTeam Member The medication that she has prescribed it as totally temporary for the next couple of weeks. I am using it in conjunction with a bite plate and other methods to decrease inflammation.

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TMJ does not play either. Years ago, I was diagnosed with TMJ. It started with a sore throat to severe sore throat. Then it was very difficult for me to swallow, talk, turn my neck, sleep, etc. It was on my left side of my neck, face, & ear. My neck, face, ear was so inflamed and swollen. & very painful. Jen do you have a mouthpiece to help your teeth from grounding while you sleep? I have TMJ flareups also. Your dentist could help with molding a mouthpiece for you.

I had TMJ really bad. I realized that when my pain was bad I was gritting my teeth without realizing it. When my pain would cause me to be itritated, I would clench my jaw. I began focusing on my jaw and doing mental checks to make sure I relaxed it. It helped a lot. Learning how to limit myself and making lifestyle changes to keep my pain levels down helped even more.

I’ve had TMJ for years. Taking Valium/Xanax/benzo’s will not help TMJ. Wearing a bite guard at night is your best bet. You need to find a doctor/dentist that specializes in TMJ. When my TMJ was at its worst, I went to a specialist that fitted me with a bite guard and I went back for weekly adjustments to make sure it was aligned properly. It’s a bit expensive but worth not having the pain and damage TMJ can cause. I’ve worn that bite guard for over 25 years....I wear it religiously. If I forget to put it in before bed, within 3 hours of falling asleep, I wake up with a terrible headache and my teeth hurt. Before I had my bite guard made, I had pain in my ear too, it felt like someone jabbed an ice pick in my ear. Then the pain spread down my neck and into my shoulder. It’s very painful until you get it under control. I agree with the post above.....taking Valium is not a good idea for TMJ. I’ve also been on antidepressants and diazepam in the past....it did absolutely nothing for my TMJ. I hope you find relief soon ❤️