temples swell when eating

you should all do research on Temporalis Hypertrophy i think i have the same thing!! Swelling in the temple area, hurts to chew, looks like golf balls on the side of your head, feels like over worked muscles sometimes your jaw gets tired when you eat tough things such as steak. I think Botox is the answer, i will let you know what the doctor says. I have had an MRI they thought i had TMJ but was not that so im oging to get another one to see if its enlarged muscles in your temporalis region. Good luck!

I have had the same thing happen to me, but only three times. I'm tending to agree with the person who said it might be an allergy to MSG, or something similar. The first and second time I got it was in the same Chinese restaurant while eating Wonton Soup. Not a whole lot of chewing there to make me think I was overusing my chewing muscles. ... The restaurant claimed there was no MSG in their soup, but then I wondered if perhaps their Wontons were pre-made (frozen) and that manufacturer used MSG. I never really got to the bottom of it and just stopped eating there. I had pretty much forgotten about it until last night I ate at a sports bar and ordered their chicken lettuce wraps. Within seconds, the same feeling occurred. To me, it feels more like someone puts a vice on my temple area on both sides and squeezes, right where the chewing muscle is. (Not so much an external swelling, though I didn't look in the mirror!) It made me feel like I just wanted to close my eyes, almost feeling like sort of a paralasys kind of thing. I took a Benedryl (always carry that with me) and drank a lot of water. It went away after a few minutes, but left me with a pretty bad headache. Going to do a little more research on Temporalis Hypertrophy.

This is the best answer.

I've had this problem for 5 or 6 years now. I do not have food allergies or believe it to be an issue with wisdom teeth, as it happens on both temples, and wisdom teeth are pulled on right side. I also seriously doubt it's from any disease. This makes the most sense. It generally happens when eating anything that is chewy or requires me to open my mouth wider to chew.

I was told it was stress. I do not believe it is allergies because the swelling goes down after the action of Chewing stops. I f it was an allergy the swelling of the temples would not go down. Unless we are all allergic to Chewing? This I doubt. There were traumatic events that took place in my life when it started i learned to do relaxing techniques and i have not experienced it in a few years now. The teeth grinding I think is also associated as well. When wen stress our muscles tense up in the face and shoulders and neck. Have you look at someone and can tell they are stressed. because we hold it in our face.

 

I have been experiencing the same issues for 2 years. I have seen my primary dr, an ent, my rheumatologist, dentist and a neurologist. I have had several tests...blood, ct's etc. Nothing. One dr. says to go to the next and so on with no relief and no idea what's going on. Have you found relief?

Taco Bell does it to me every time! I think its just chewing foods works the muscle.

 

As stated above this is not an allergic reaction (this is not how an allergic reaction presents). It is a physiological (physiological means withing the spectrum of normality) event that can sometimes occur but rarely causes anything more than passing discomfort.... like when you get a tummyache for no apparent reason. It's not helpful to over medicalise the human experience!

This is crazy. Thought I was going nuts to a sec. This happens to me as well. First happened when I was younger. I use to love Doritos! Ate them all day. Then one day I ate some and it felt as if my head was going to explode. My jaws started cramping and popping and my temples became extremely enlarged. I developed a nut allergy sometime around 2010. I was 22 years old the first time it effected me and had eaten nuts all years prior. Not it occurs when eating granola and a few other things. I think it maybe the canola oil some other oils present. That seems to stand out to me as a common ingredient in all foods causing this discomfort.

I would second this.

I have just had this problem for the first time I am 50 years old my wisdom teeth were pulled when I was 19,it's the next morning if you still feel pressure swelling is down I did eat a hamburger and some macaroni salad going to have to find out what was in the salad but its not a good feeling and I never had allergies ever and I don't take meds for anything so confused

I agree that this problem has nothing to do with food allergies or wisdom teeth, I have neither. I do have a tendency to grind and clench my teeth awake and while asleep. When I am eating something crunchy both of my temples swell like a balloon and then relax after a few minutes. I think it's nothing serious, but embarrassing to eat in public. I guess I could try the botox if it's something I feel I must fix.

I have this problem over a year and it started when I was eating hard beef jerkey. My jaw popped and afterwards i got diagnosed with TMJ because I was grinding teeth at night. But the swelling started only 2 month ago. I read that it is serious because tmj muscles are going over artery on the temples and any muscle spasms could cause decrease of blood flow to brain and eyes.

Lol ik this thread is old but it might be a diet type thing. Random inflammation (occurs all over your body) is effected by many factors but what your eating is huge. Basically unhealthy foods cause inflammation healthy ones don't, or even fight it. For example, carbs and fats (including sugars and oils) are bad. Berries and nuts and juicy tomatoes are good. Tons of more examples. Other than changing your diet, NSAIDs could help but don't make that into a habit :c
Hope this helps if you're still having the same issue.

I have this problem. It tends to come and go, but I had a cataract operation a week ago and its flared up again worse than it ever was. I just ate one small slice of pizza and watched both temples swell and distorts the shape of my face. A chip, anything will do it. Feels like the temples will burst if I don't stop eating.To address what others have said in posts... I have no wisdom teeth left. I Do Wear a dental mouthguard at night to prevent grinding. Have no food allergies. Without ever mentioning the temple swelling I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia a few years ago. Havent been to a doctor about the temples for a long time, may try again - if any luck, will write back if it will help other sufferers.

I just had the same problem and was eating a Subway sandwich.