NEED XOME ADVICE

[diguilio]

Hi

I have been DX. since 2000. My question is i always need to be sucking on something and i have tried not to do that but i can't stop. Does anyone else going through this? And how can i stop?

[hunterd]

mine is not an issue of sucking on something, but just having something in my mouth. usually trident gum.

[REG53]

I have episodes when I keep rubbing my tongue on the back of my lower teeth, I try to stop but can't, it will last days to weeks. I suck on hard candy or chew trident gum like hunterd.

I just assume it is neurological.

[rdmc]

My presenting symptoms, about 20 years ago, were left sided facial and mouth sensory symptoms.

Those symptoms have never gone away, and have progressed to the point of atrophy on one side of my face and tongue. However, I learned years ago, if I keep something in my mouth
it helps to distract from the numbness and tingling on that side of my face and tongue, and it even improves my speech.

So at first I tried hard candy, but I figured out I'd weigh 2 tons if I kept that up (plus I'd spend 2 million at the dentist having cavities filled ) Then I graduated to ginger. I use the raw ginger root, just cut and peel a small piece and keep it in my mouth (it's an acquired taste.) No calories, spicy taste that really distracts from the tingling, and it is all around good for one's health. I also use a plastic piece of string (I use weedeater string, cut off a piece, and then use a lighter to blunt each end)...it works well when I hold it in my lips, or just place it horizontally across my teeth and bite on it.

There is a movement disorder called oromandibular dystonia and my neuro has mentioned that
this may also be caused by MS. IMO, my symptoms aren't as bad as the symptoms I've read, but the solution for some oromandibular dystonia patients does seem to work for me too.

It's a dystonic "sensory trick" and many different dystopias respond to a particular "trick" that works for their type. For folks with oromandibular dystonia, keeping something in their mouth seems to help them. There are interesting youtube videos by folks that have battled this type of dystonia.

So long story short, yep, I always have something in my mouth, and I don't know how to stop, nor do I want to stop, because of the symptoms that would, and do, flare when I don't have something in my mouth.

When you don't have something in your mouth....what happens?

[Jules A]

Are you on any meds that might be causing abnormal mouth movements (TD)?

[diguilio]

some answers

okay i don't know because there has to be something in my mouth all the time what medication would do that to me?

[Jules A]

okay i don't know because there has to be something in my mouth all the time what medication would do that to me?

You described it as a need to suck on something that you are unable to stop so I wondered if it might be a movement disorder.

http://www.brainandspinalcord.org/me...ve-dyskinesia/