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Suffering From Anxiety I Have Undiagnosed TMJ Disorder, But It's Something I've Had For Many Years, But It Seems To Have Gotten Worse Please Help Me To Get Rid Of These?

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Posted on Thu, 16 Mar 2023
Question: Getting a little desperate here and hoping maybe someone who has experienced similar symptoms could help me down the right track.

Info:

Age: 28

Gender: Male

Medicine: Broadspectered antibiotics for 2 months+ (tetracycline).

Duration: Stomach issues most of life but only very occasional, but IBS symptoms since february. Started first round of antibiotics 3-4 months prior to the onset.

Symptoms and history: Started with lose stools, chest pains and bloating in february. These symptoms started causing me to feel anxiety and it has since been tested and doctor tells me it's IBS.

Since then I've had an array of different problems. Mostly I experience a lot of episodes of dull pain/burning in my chest, slightly left of the center around the sternum area. Was told this could be acid problems and got told to take some antacids that I've tried occasional which might have had an small effect, but it's hard to say for sure.

Over the last 2 weeks I've experienced a new issue, I might have felt this slightly before in the past 2-3 months, but it's been persisting now for 2 weeks+. The issue that I feel annoyed in my throat area. The pain is dull and feels like it's worse when I swallow, speak or turn my head in directions that tightens the throat/neck. The pain seems to 'move' around the area of my XXXXXXX apple, up to the side of the jaw, under the tongue area at the glands under the jaw and sometimes moves up to the glands in the chin up to the ear. I also experience the feeling of something being stuck in my throat, it feels like slime? that takes some swallowing to 'remove' and it often comes back shortly after swallowing again. My voice also is more hoarse and it feels like speaking makes the whole throat is being annoyed by talking.

I have undiagnosed TMJ disorder, but it's something I've had for many years, but it seems to have gotten worse over the last months.

Further more then I frequently belch in periods, they feel like they 'drag' something up, but I never taste acid or feel like it's reaching my mouth, but kinda stops at the top of the throat. In periods these belches seems to cause a slight unpleassant feeling around the collarbone or base of the neck, not really painful but it feels slightly annoyed. This has come and gone and seems to appear mainly in the periods where I belch a lot, but is not always present with it.

I also struggle with anxiety after all these crazy many symptoms just hit me one after another and I suppose that it exacerbate the problems too?

It's a lot of random symptoms and I hope that somehow it makes sense or that someone in here can recognize them or perhaps share some information in this regard?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Anders Mark Christensen (14 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
I suggest endoscopy

Detailed Answer:
Hi ,

Thank you for your thorough history. As you indicate, you suffer from many different symptoms. Altogether, I find it highly relevant to take diagnostics to the next level and do a gastroscopy to assess any pathology in your esophagus, stomach and duodenum. What you describe could be gastroesophageal reflux. Try avoiding late meals, spicy and smoked food, tobacco, alcohol, and sleep with your head slightly elevated. If the above doesn't help, a consultation with an ear-nose-throat doctor could also be relevant.

Hope this helps, feel free to contact me again if you have further questions.
Thanks
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Anders Mark Christensen (6 hours later)
Hi,
I'm wondering a thing, could it be possible that jaw pain or pain under the jaw where the base of the tongue meets the throat can be symptoms of GERD or LPR?

Pain seems to be worst when I stretch my neck and tighten my jaw and also I keep feeling the need to belch which brings a sensation of liquid back up or some times even food taste, but it is rarely it gets all the way up to my tastebuds and 99% of the time remains in the throat.

I bought some antacids at the pharmacy today, Galieve to be drank after dinners. Would you have something else to recommend or how often I should take this?

I will contact my doctor tomorrow and see what they say.
Thanks
doctor
Answered by Dr. Anders Mark Christensen (13 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Galieve is fine, PPIs could also help

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX

To me, it sounds like GERD. Galieve is fine to try, proton pump inhibitors could also help. In any case, it is a good idea to see your doctor, as you plan.

All the best.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Anders Mark Christensen

General Surgeon

Practicing since :2016

Answered : 1559 Questions

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Suffering From Anxiety I Have Undiagnosed TMJ Disorder, But It's Something I've Had For Many Years, But It Seems To Have Gotten Worse Please Help Me To Get Rid Of These?

Brief Answer: I suggest endoscopy Detailed Answer: Hi , Thank you for your thorough history. As you indicate, you suffer from many different symptoms. Altogether, I find it highly relevant to take diagnostics to the next level and do a gastroscopy to assess any pathology in your esophagus, stomach and duodenum. What you describe could be gastroesophageal reflux. Try avoiding late meals, spicy and smoked food, tobacco, alcohol, and sleep with your head slightly elevated. If the above doesn't help, a consultation with an ear-nose-throat doctor could also be relevant. Hope this helps, feel free to contact me again if you have further questions. Thanks