Hi Lee,

Thank you for your response. That was the doctors' (more than one of them) first thoughts - and may be the case. I had one deep filling done on the right and started having the pain on the left about a month later. Then about another month later (two months from the filling on the right) I had a deep filling on the left. The pain did become a lot more intense after that...I thought it was going away. So, maybe the shot aggravated it? Maybe it was originally due to the cavity? Heck, I don't know. But I do appreciate your response...and I certainly hope it fades away or "burns" out (pun intended) on it's own.

I did just see an orthodontist and he says my muscles may be tight be he sees no problem with my jaw (ie TMJ)...

I wonder if it isn't something to do with a herpes virus...either shingles and PHN and I never saw a doctor about the rash (at the beginning it was a sore throat and I had some blisters - at least that's what the hubster and I thought we saw when we looked with a flash light). I was freaking out and my MIL convinced me about a week later to go to clinic because she is a nurse and thought I may have strep. By the time I went in either the "blisters" had gone, or it was an illusion from post nasal drip because the dr. saw nothing. Also, the throat pain which started it all was INTENSE and the ear pain was mild. The throat pain went away in 2-3 weeks at the most and then burning/tingling started kicking in in ear, tongue, jaw, and occasionally throat. The tongue part is what scares me the most because a tongue has lots of bumps and craziness anyway and I freak out about it all...and I need to stay off the internet because it is TERRIFYING!

I will keep you all posted as to how it goes. I know I see a lot of online postings that seem very similar...but never do I see the outcome!

My neuro did say my pain very well may be post herpetic...but without having seen a rash there is no way to know for certain and also that the treatment would be the same unless I actually have a rash at the time.

As an aside, or fyi...I do have HSV2...and this feels very similar (although different location) except it NEVER, EVER lasts this long. That is why I wonder about the PHN from shingles...of course, I had chicken pox as a child...so it is possible...but again, without confirmation of a rash... Also, I have read that even recurrent HSV1 (which I have never been aware of having) can cause this type of pain... Who knows. I just hope they're all right...and the tests...because I have moments of sheer terror worrying about what's wrong with me.

Sorry for the novel...and again thank you so much for your response.