OK, here's a weird one...

[Guitar_grrrl]

OK, here's a weird one...I often have spasms in my legs, hamstrings, triceps, hands, the SO not aptly named "MS Hug", etc.,last night, I had a new one.  This woke me up...a spasm involving my right upper palate!  Felt like my teeth were going to fall out!  It took maybe only 2-3 minutes to settle down, and as it settled down, the spasm relaxed from the back molar up to my central incisor.

In the past, I've had Trigeminal neuralgia involving the right side of my head.  Mostly the skin, and that burning - no - searing pain, especially when the wind blows upon it.  It hasn't involved the masseter muscle, yet, but this incidence last night  didn't seem to either.  I hadn't been clenching, or anything, but I can't think of any muscles involved in my upper palate/gums.  We just don't have much up there, LOL!

Any ideas?  My neuro will probably shake his head..."eh, it's just thet brainstem lesion"...

[jensequitur]

For about a week, I had the worst spasm of the right jaw, just underneath the bone, and it seemed to go up into the soft palate.  It happened every time I swallowed.  I have a brainstem lesion between the pons and medulla, so it's quite possible that it's the cause.

[sllowe]

Hey Guuuuuurl,

This is an oldie, but goodie...Doc Q describes the CN's. Maybe V that gave you the TN is still the culprit w/the palate??? Just a guess...Check it out...

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/Saw-the-new-Neuro-today-input-welcome-/show/476984

[LisaJF]

Wow thanks Guitar Girl!  You saved me from having to look that up!

The wonderful world of weirdness eh?  It's so much fun!

@Mary: Nice on the spaghetti story :D

[Guitar_grrrl]

Just found this out -

There are 5 muscles in the palate.

1. levator veli palatini
2. tensor veli palatini
3. palatoglossus
4. palatopharyngeus
5. musculus uvulus

Four of them are innervated by the Pharyngeal Plexus which is basically comprised of the Vagus + Glossopharyngeal cranial nerves X + IX respectively.

Muscle Number 2 - tensor veli palatini is innervated by the Trigeminal CN V.

I haven't had swallowing issues of late, and I'm thinking this is just a transient spasm.  Weird, though...

[twopack]

The palate does move around.  It has to when we swallow to make sure food and air take their proper turns merging in a tight place.  I saw a clear lesson in this years ago when my (then) two year old daughter started to sneeze while eating spagetti.  The merge gate (the patate) couldn't keep up with simultaneous food to swallow and a mystery irritation (pepper?) of the nose hairs.

CAUTION: THOSE WITH WEAK STOMACHS SHOULD SKIP THIS
Pretty soon a long strand of spagetti was propelled through her nose.  Being two.... ummm, never mind the rest.  It's enough to say dinner was over for the rest of us at that point!

Unfortunately, a few family members still insist on teasing the poor girl about her eating mis-adventure 35 years later :(  I'm just glad she didn't end up with spagetti sucked into her lungs.  

The point is, that area in the throat is like a major switching station at a rail yard.  There may not be much to look at but whenever there's movement there has to be muscle to contract (in at least one direction) to make the movement happen.

I think there are actually several muscle attached to the palate and the surrounding structures.  In fact, I believe there is a thin layer of muscle, nerves and blood vessels between the layers of the palate.

Lisa is probably right about the vagus - via the pharyngeal branch and/or accessory.

In the end, with a history of TN and these symptoms, your brain stem lesion deserves to be the fall guy.  I'm glad these have at least limited their duration and frequency.  I sure hope the neuro can formulate a plan NOW in case further intervention becomes necessary.

Mary

[LisaJF]

I thought the hypoglossal and vagus nerve innervates the soft palate? I can be wrong -- it's been awhile since I reviewed the cranial nerve system.  

I'm sorry to hear that this woke you up out of sleep!  That must of been really a weird sensation!

Get better soon!
Lisa

[Lulu54]

that brainstem lesion seems to be the fall guy, huh?  Here's hoping this sensation/brain doesn't return again.  It sounds uncomfortable.