Muscle cramps in jaw and neck

[beckysuenc]

I started having muscle cramps in my jaw and neck. It seems like the more I talk the worse it gets and have to stop. It doesn't completely go away but gets better when I do. Is this the beginning of losing the ability to talk? This also happens with chewing. Any comments would really be helpful.
Beckysuenc

 

[KissJ]

Everyone is so different. I just posted about my husband's new issues. I was told..Go to the doctor! So, I say Go to the doctor!
This monster shows up in different ways and forms. My husband is having a lot of pain when he chews. He does have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. He also has a huge lump on his collar bone. .....?

 

[susanf]

I get them when I yawn. Not very comfy at all.

 

[LizT]

not sure what the answer is, but how else do you feel? pain in the jaw and neck can also be a sign of a heart attack for women so please keep an eye on it.

 

[Alyoop]

It can be an UMN sign, might settle. I get it intermittently and mostly when I start to chew. Other people with pls get it as well. If it continues you could talk to your clinic.

 

[notgivnup]

I have only experienced this also when yawning, awful feeling. So sorry you have to deal with this on top of everything else. Yes ask the doc if he can help.

 

[olly]

second what aly said..........had pls 12yrs and started with bulbar symptoms 5yrs ago with lower facial spasms and problems chewing.
also holding a conversation can be tiring,if i have to repeat a sentence i get a bit flabbergasted.
you do need to get checked out as both umn's and lmn's can effect the lower facial muscles.

 

[Whitsend]

I've started getting them when I yawn too.

 

[beckysuenc]

Thanks everyone. I do have an als diagnosis with bulbar onset. This problem just started a couple days ago. My concern has been if it is the beginning of losing my ability to speak. I have the problem all of the time but the more I talk the worse it gets. Same thing with chewing. My children would probable say don't talk so much. At first I did think about the heart but soon realized that wasn't the problem. Again, thanks for all of the help.

 

[brooksea]

beckysuenc,

My husband has had these type of cramps from about six months after diagnosis. He was able to speak pretty much so friends could understand him til about 8 months ago, I guess. He was diagnosed 09/06. In 05 he would sound a bit tipsy in the evenings on the way home from work and had yawning episodes all the time with big sneezing attacks, which he NEVER had before. (He was actually accused of being drunk by a customer during one of his sales calls.) So here we are, about 6 years later and I can understand barely little without great effort on both our parts.

Yes, it could be the beginning. How long yours will get to the point of no return is really up in the air! It could be years, like my husband.

He no longer has the yawning or the cramps, but still has the sneezing thing!

 

[SueG]

Extreme yawning was one of my first symptoms, and as it's continued the jaw pain has gotten worse. bothersome in itself but also interfering with eating enough. been working on it with my drs, but what I've tried so far makes me too dopey or spacey, so we'll keep trying. hurts quite a bit when I yawn and chew. Anyone else have success dealing with this kind of pain? As for the speech, a year ago only those who knew me best could detect a slight slurring when I was tired; now intelligible speech is all but gone (I still try!). I hope your progress is slower. You might tape some words/phrases/whatever now if you want to be sure your kids can hear your voice down the road. Good luck!

Sue

 

[beckysuenc]

Thanks Sue...What you describe sounds like what I am having. Good suggestions on taping my voice. Thanks again.
Beckysuenc

 

[Sequoia]

I get this when I yawn, starts in the jaw and then goes to the neck....awful. I can still talk but slightly slurred. I met a man with als who has a slight slur and was that way for 10 years....so you just dont know how it will go. I have a friend who has set up a recording for voice over the phone. You just call and give your pin number and they will record whatever you want. If you want to contact him PM me and i will give you his email....I think recording your voice is very important. You may want to record a bunch of sentences to use on dynavox so when you loose your voice, you can still sound like you. I have a list of sentences I could send you and you can make them your own. But dont wait too long....I have a friend who recorded childrens books so she could still "read' them to her children in her own voice.

 

[kmendsley]

I get it after singing...strange I know. Don't have bulbar onset though so who knows...legs cramp up much worse so that takes my full attention most of the time anyway. Do watch that pain though in case you feel any sharp pain or it is associated with left arm numbness or pain in the middle of your back as well...like said before...can indicate heart problem. Good luck

 

[Whitsend]

I had clinic on Friday and asked the doctor about it. She said it was the ALS progression into upper motor neuron. She did a reflex test on my jaw and said there was spasticity.