Years of symptoms

[TonicTime]

I don't think I'm going to be able to say everything in one post, but here's my history.

-recurring collapsed lung due to bleb in 2000.  Had surgery.
-became obsessed with health and started having panic attacks
-on and off paxil, lexapro since 2001
-lower left impacted wisdom tooth removed in 2003 (dr. said nerve should be OK)


I'll start from most recent symptoms and move towards the more general chronic symptoms.  

My left shoulder bounces involuntarily after swallowing and tilting my head to the right. I feel the muscle or tendon along the left side of my neck pop and my shoulder jerks right when it happens. It's like after I swallow, something tenses and when i tilt my head it pops. This all started happening just a few weeks ago, but I've been complaining of sinus and Eustachian tube discomfort for over a year along with teeth grinding and jaw cracking/stiffness. I often find it uncomfortable to speak because of the pressure sensations in the jaw/sinus.  Everything is on the left side.   I feel popping behind my nose on the left side and weird sensations when i press my tongue against the roof of my mouth close to the molars.  Its like a  pressure feeling along with popping.. like something moves.  An oral surgeon said i don't have TMJ and he's baffled by the palate symptoms... an ENT said he couldn't find any problems after using an endoscope. He said i have a slight pressure imbalance in the ears and gave me singulair. It didnt do anything and neither did allegra or any of the nasal sprays. I dont know if this is just muscle tension or sinus or both. Now my doctor wants me to see the ENT again (a different one) to check swallowing mechanisms more, and if he doesnt come up with anything he wants me to then see a gastro doctor to check for esophageal problems.

[Michael H Kirsch, DDS]

The symptoms you describe are multi-factorial involving more than one anatomically separate regions.  I would first see a psychiatrist to rule out a neurochemical imbalance and psychosomatic disorder.  This would explain the symptoms you are having.  After treatment with the psychiatrist, and if you are still experiencing symptoms, a consultation by a neurologist may be helpful.

Information contained within this reply is intended solely for general educational purposes and is not intended nor implied to be a medical diagnosis or treatment recommendation.  This is not a substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific medical condition or question. Always seek the advice of your own doctor for medical condition. Only your doctor can provide specific diagnoses and therapies.

[TonicTime]

My doctor thinks the shoulder jerk is just a nervous reaction, but there's some pain when the spot in my neck pops. I have a bunch of nervous habits to try and relieve the symptoms such as pinching nostrils and blowing air out to pop my ear, distorting my face to crack my jaw. When i try to just keep everything at rest, i feel irritable and breath deeply otherwise i feel like my breathing is too shallow. yes i take antianxiety meds but they dont help much. I want to have my upper wisdom teeth removed even though my dentist said its not an emergency. im desperate