DEAR DR. GOTT: I am an active 90-year-old man with a large garden, yard, and a couple of fruit trees. Yes, I was raised on a farm.
In April 2009, I woke up one morning with a swelling in my left jaw and cheek. I went to my family doctor for an examination. He suggested I go to the local dentist for an X-ray, which I did. The dentist said it acted like temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder but he doubted it, so he gave me some Diflunisal. Later that week, I went for two chiropractic treatments, and in a week the swelling was gone.
I had no problem except for numbness in my back lower jaw. Then in April this year, the numbness moved forward on my jaw and to the side of my face again. [Read more...]