migraine aura & facial numbness

[senior moment]

I have a long history of migraines & meniere's disease & do have a brain injury. Several times over the last few years I have had episodes of being slightly confused, unable to think of a word & a feeling of dejavu (sp?) that last only one or two minutes.  I haven't lost consciousness & know who I am & carry on a conversation.   Most of the time I have a one sided headache after the feeling passes but I always have a feeling of fullness/numbness in my left jaw in front of & below the ear which feels like fluid.  There is usually a little swelling in the gland under my left jaw.  Sometimes this last a couple of days.  I have associated it in the past with allergies to food or chemicals.  I've asked every dr I've been to over the years & no one seems to know what it is.   Can anyone help or tell me what kind of dr I should see.  I've already been to ENT, Neuro, & Int.   Thanks.

[senior moment]

Thanks very much for your comments.

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

Déjà vu is the sense of already have experienced or seen an event that is happening for the first time. This phenomenon is a common occurrence in many “normal” people especially in states of fatigue or intoxication. However, it is also seen in people with disorders such as seizures, particularly those seizures arising from the part of the brain called the temporal lobe, and also in persons with underlying psychiatric disorders such as anxiety or depression. (It may also occur in people with migraines).

I recommend that you follow up with your physician regarding these episodes of déjà vu. It would be worthwhile to continue following up with a neurologist. You may benefit from having an EEG to to evaluate the electrical activity of your brain. He/she may then want to obtain an MRI of the brain to rule out structural causes of your symptoms (esp since you mentioned a history of traumatic brain injury).  

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.