Numb Chin Syndrome
Posted , 56 users are following.
So I have a small spot on the tip of my chin that is numb, like feeling like how it would feel if a dentist gave you anesthesia. Just numb. I thought maybe a shaved to close and cut it making it numb. Then after taking it for maybe a month or so, I decided to see what could be done about it. I instead found out about Numb Chin Syndrome. Everything I read is this is fatal within months due to cancer. Although I have read it can also be cause by diabetes neuropathy (I'm a type 1 diabetic for about 35 years now, so I'm praying to god that's what causing it, although I don't really have much other neuropathy in my body, so that kinda seems like a stretch), and I've also read anxiety can cause it (And of course I've had anxiety most of my life). Anyways, to the point, suddenly I'm starting to get TMJ symptoms, earaches when sleeping, dull headaches that last a few seconds and then go away... Should I go to the doctor and see about getting an MRI scan, knowing if it comes back positive for cancer of any kind, I'm probably going to die soon and have most of my remaining time spent in a hospital instead of out in the world living, as well as leaving behind my wife (who does think this all in my head) and 10 & 8 year old kids, which the thought of is pushing me towards depression. I'm at a complete loss for what to do here and scared and feel so lonely. Thank you in advance for anyone who has any advice...
2 likes, 260 replies
kristen69526 nate73255
Posted
How's everybody doing?
Nate, how's your shoulder? My shoulder issues have continued and I'm headed for an MRI next week. I'm guessing it will come back unremarkable and they'll say frozen shoulder.
A random question about symptoms associated with this dreaded numb chin - do you ever have the urge to floss? My teeth and gums on the affected side will just feel... more there. Like I'm more aware of them for some reason. That probably makes no sense. And I get this urge to floss. Like when you have something big stuck between your teeth, and it doesn't hurt but you're aware of it and it's annoying. Anyone else?
My numb spot was gone last week, but my teeth felt more like described above, and I couldn't decide if this was an improvement or a worsening. lol. But now my little weird spot is back again of course. And because I'm a glutton for punishment, I googled. Why do I do that??? All the same terrible stuff popped up and I gave myself a good sized anxiety attack, naturally. But my tricks from therapy helped and I thought it was a good time to check in with my fellow chin warriors. 😃
Hoping everyone is doing well!
nate73255 kristen69526
Posted
Hi Kristen,
Yeah, my shoulder is still in the same shape. I'm going to physical therapy for it twice a week. The bad thing about frozen shoulder is it can take awhile to thaw. But you have to keep stretching it out to make go faster, so I keep doing it. I hope for the best with your MRI.
Anyways, I can't say I have an incredible urge to floss. I just do it once in the morning, once before bed and anytime I get something stuck between my teeth. Other than that, no strong urge to do it. Interesting that you are. Maybe check with your dentist? I honestly don't know what else to tell you there.
Anyways, my "numb" spot, is more like a tingly spot anymore. Anyways, I'm 1 year, 5 months into this now, so I'm assuming it has to do with my diabetes, which still isn't fun, but way better than the alternative. I'm considering talking to my doctor about it and see if they have any sort of prescription that help with it.
I hope everything else is going good for you. I'm glad you checked in. Time kinda flies sometimes, so its good to hear from someone I can relate too with the chin stuff. Let us know how the MRI turns out. I'm sure it will be nothing to terrible. 😃
Bapam nate73255
Posted
Hi.
I have numb chin as well since April and reading your posts have made me feel better. I've had multiple MRI's and a Ct scan of the mandible and everything looks fine. I've taken Amitriptyline for the last 3 months to try and limit the feeling so i can move on from the constant anxiety that the feeling brings. It's helping since i don't dwell on it as much.
Just wanted to say thank you for posting and taking the time to keep updating the post. Hope everyone is doing well and feeling better.
paula
kristen69526 Bapam
Posted
Hi Paula, I'm glad you found us, and so glad all your tests came out well!
This group has been so reassuring to me so I'm happy to hear it helped you too!
christian81207 Bapam
Posted
Hi Paula,
I'm very glad you're feeling better.
I'v had this sensation for a year now and have found no remedy for it. My dentist suggested that I take Amytriptyline but it didn't help... at all.
May I ask you to describe further your sensation please?
Thanks 😃
Chris
nate73255 Bapam
Posted
I'm glad you found us Paula. If you've had it since April, and you're still feeling ok, and your MRI's and CT's have come back ok, thats most likely a very good sign. But believe me, I know how much anxiety it can cause. Stay in touch. We are all here for each other!
Bapam christian81207
Posted
Hi Chris,
Did you get a reply from me ?
I typed one all out and sent it but i don't know to where.. lol
paula
christian81207 Bapam
Posted
No didn't receive it ... 😅
Manda099 kristen69526
Posted
I have a lot of similarities Kristen! Ive been having dental related issues for months now, dentist gave me deep cleanings and then sent me for an oral surgeon. Its been a out 2 months since this chin feeling, its just tiny dime sized spots that get this odd numb feeling. My dentist said it was not dental related and according to my xrays my gums and mouth look incredibly healthy. My oral surgeon also said it wouldnt be caused by my wisdom tooth which doesnt make me feel great, he also said my xrays are fine. But, ive always had this feeling of being more aware of my gums and teeth on the right side. The gums feel off and sore just like my teeth which makes me constantly floss, however the feeling remains. Its all really so scary in how its unexplained.
tara1975 nate73255
Posted
Hi all
im new here . i know this post is old but im having the same issue with my chin, jaw area. it started almost a week ago. i have health anxiety also. my jaw, chin, under my chin and down the front of my neck feels numb and even sore too when i touch it. has anyone else experianced the sore feeling down the front of your neck when you touch it? its freaking me out. i did the google thing too and know i shouldnt. everything says cancer. really scared here.
-Tara
Bapam tara1975
Posted
Hi Tara ,
I've also had pain in my neck and
tongue but not the numbness, that still is only in my chin. My numb runs directly below the right side of my lower lip to my jaw line. the pain in my neck has reduced over the last 6 months to just occasionally. I started out seeing my doctor, dentist and then ENT. I did the same with the goggling and actually felt the numbness get worse but I totally understand the need to do it. Start with the basics and go from there.
Hope you feel better soon.
kristen69526 tara1975
Posted
Hi Tara,
yes, I had/have pain in my neck too. when I'm not in anxiety mode about it, I firmly believe it's connected to disfunction in my SCM muscle in my neck. that whole aide from my shoulder to my chest and up my neck is always tight and painful, and when I get it loosened up, my symptoms sometimes subside.
That said, I think it's worth a doc visit! But for your sanity, I share my theory. 😃
christian81207 tara1975
Posted
Hi Tara
I have too been suffering from numb chin / lower jaw for the past year. Been to several specialists including a dentist who specializes on TMJ disorder and a neurologist. Even did an MRI to rule out a brain tumor.
Lately I have been to a psychiatrist (the neurologist suggested I visit him) and was informed that my pain / numbness sensation could he psychosomatic. He prescribed me amitriptyline (25mg morning / evening) and have been feeling better since!
I suggest you visit a dentist and a neurologist to rule out the bad stuff (especially if you're feeling the numbness on just one side of the jaw / chin) and then visit a psychiatrist.
Hope you'll find a remedy soon!
Chris from Malta 😃
Bapam christian81207
Posted
Hi Chris
Glad the Amitriptyline has started working for you.
I also was told to see a psychiatrist to help with stress and anxiety since numbness can be a way of our bodies handling both situations.
nate73255
Posted
Interesting that there seems to be a common theme of neck issues in here. I've been experiencing them as well. I have a doctors appointment on Thursday to get it looked at (as well to get my yearly flu shot). I'm hoping its nothing big, but you know anxiety... 😦
jess95427 nate73255
Posted
i have not slept in days wrote my will out sent goodbye letters to my family so scared for tingling lips and numbness in chin have a brain mri this week but confused because someone told me regular brain mri wont show jaw
Bapam jess95427
Posted
Hi Jess,
Mri of the brain doesn't show the Mandible but it does help show the trigeminal nerves which is where Drs. believe the problem of numb chin lies. Thats why they seem to always start there. When mine came back clear i started the conversation with my Dr about moving forward with Ct Scan of my jaw. have you had any xrays done at the dentist ?
mandy1983 jess95427
Posted
it doesn't show the jaw, but like Bapam said, it's best to start there. I had a CT done but I still question it bc even though it was a soft tissue neck CT that showed the mandible I worry that it wouldn't show if there was a tumor there. The CT report even said, mandible is unremarkable, but I still can't let it go bc health anxiety.
Ang476 mandy1983
Posted
I had two brain MRIs both clear a CT of my mandible that specifically said mandible and mental forman are clear. i also had a panoramic x-ray of my whole mouth. However, I still feel like they are just not seeing it. I have totally lost my mind over this. I know how you feel Jess and I am here if you need to talk.
jess95427 Bapam
Posted
I had x-rays done at the Dentist they did a scan and they said they didn’t see anything and they referred me to oral surgery. it makes me sick to my stomach i worry so much about it like there missing something .
jess95427 Bapam
Posted
did you just have a normal brain mri when they gave you one it was not special orders to focus on the jaw only ?
Ang476 Bapam
Posted
Bapam, did your docs ever say what could be causing it?
kristen69526 Ang476
Posted
Not Bapam, but here's all the theories presented to me, once my doc was convinced it wasn't cancer.
Primary Care Manager thought it was a nerve entrapment from a tight muscle because it changes. she said a tumor wouldn't go back and forth with feeling better the way mine has over the last 18 months. I tend to agree with this because I can see a pattern with tension headaches caused by the same. And perhaps that's how it ties in with anxiety - stress caused muscled tension.
The neurologist said it could be dental in nature even though the timeline doesn't add up - like maybe the filling with botched novocaine six months prior caused a numbness I didn't notice until it started to heal and feel odd. He also suggested a viral attack and now it's healing but damaged. and he suggested anxiety as a possibility as well.
The dentist said it could be from having my wisdom teeth out decades ago. Seems highly highly unlikely. But that maybe a nerve is starting to spontaneously regenerate.
The oral surgeon also thought muscle tension.
My massage therapist agreed with muscle tension specifically to the SCM muscle.
My orthopedic doctor for my neck and shoulder also agreed with muscle tension. He said I have upper crossed syndrome which is basically really rounded shoulders affecting the curve of my neck, which causes muscle tension all the way up behind the ears and into the temples - which I believe is where the trigeminal nerve exits the skull and becomes a facial nerve, right?
To date I've had a brain MRI that included the full length of the trigeminal nerve, a panoramic dental xray, and a neck MRI, and nothing has shown anything scary.
Ang476 kristen69526
Posted
Thats reasurring to here so many other things could be the cause. when you say it comes and goes doe it go away completly and come back or is it just less intense?
Bapam jess95427
Posted
yes just a normal brain mri. I never looked at the req the Dr gave me and i was very confused as well when i found out it was brain only.
mandy1983 Bapam
Posted
Ugh! My anxiety is in high gear today. I have this weird crawling feeling in the corner of my lower lip. It's driving me crazy and making me worry to no end.
I just had a CT scan of my abdomen and it came back showing a cyst on my kidney which is totally normal, and a cyst on my spleen, which is not. I of course googled and one of the causes is lymphoma and leukemia. So down the rabbit hole I went. Now I'm convinced I have lymphoma and it's spread to my mandible and I'm back to square one. I do have an enlarged lymph node in my neck but it isn't that big and it's been there for years. The biggest thing os I'm feeling pain in my groin around where the lymph node is there, and around where the supraclavicular node is into my shoulder and neck. I'm terrified and of course with the holiday coming up, my doctors are out. I'm so scared right now that I'm in tears and don't know what to do. Anyone else get the weird crawling feeling? Mine comes and goes but today it's been more frequent than normal. Could this just be my anxiety? Someone please respond. I'm going crazy with worry.