uncontrolled jaw movements

[phyillaier123]

My 80 year old mother has started this almost constant "chewing" type jaw movements.  Does this have anything to do with Parkinson's?  She was at a neurologist today for pain in both of her hands and diagnosed with severe carpal tunnel and he noticed a constant twitching in her left thumb.  He did some other neurological testing and said she might have the beginnings of Parkinson's.  i didn't think to tell him of this jaw movement.

[ABS8865]

Again without a personal evaluation it is impossible to know for sure, but one of the problems that arises with elderly is the loss of vertical height between the mandible and maxilla. When this height is lost impingement of the trigeminal nerve occurs and jaw tremors/movements are possible. Also when there is a loss of this occlusal height (possibly in this case due to grinding or loss of teeth) the scalene muscles constrict the brachial plexus of nerves which causes the tingling or twitching in the hands and thumb. An evaluation by a dentist who is familar with TMJ signs and symptoms may be off help. Try this if a diagnosis of Parkinson's is not found. Good luck and God bless.

[caregiver222]

Without an in-person evaluation it is impossible to know for sure, but the "chewing" type movements are characteristic of tardive dyskinesia, a disorder that is the direct result of inappropriate prescription of certain psychiatric drugs, particuliarly librium, but also a side-effect of several other drugs, including rispirdal.