Slowly her jaw started to cease up. One morning all of her throat and mouth were swollen excessively. She was admitted to hospital sedated and incubated immediately. When the sedation was taken off she was very unresponsive giving the impression of ‘locked-in syndrome’ or ‘brainstem stroke’. 5 months on she is now out of hospital, she has had CT scan, MRI scan, DAT scan and x-rays, given botox into TMJ and treated for tetanus but there is no answer or reason for what happened. All scans came back clear and couldn’t see anything out of the norm for a brain of a PD sufferer and someone of her age 64. She still has lock-jaw and is very weak.

My mum was diagnosed with Parkinsons about 2 years ago. She was using Sinemet but due to dizzy spells and feeling sick she weaned off it. She started to have sore gums so eventually took her teeth out, just upper teeth are dentures.

Could you possibly offer any help or advise,

Nat

As a researcher and not a medical doctor, I am certainly not qualified to suggest and diagnose here. Your Mum’s doctors are certainly working hard trying to figure out what in the world is going on here!

Speaking as a researcher, it looks to me like – speaking simply – there is something inside your Mum’s body that is causing significant inflammation or something that she continues to insert in her body. What is it?

It could be a variety of toxins. It could be an allergic reaction to something she is eating. At a minimum, you could modify her diet and see if there is any change. Something she has loved to eat for years may be the culprit here. It could be side effects of a medication she is taking. There are many possibilities which is why of course her doctors are having such a difficult time figuring out how to help her!

Emotional issues always lie at the foundation of symptoms. You might ask your Mom if there is something she needs to say that she has been withholding. With lock jaw, talking is near impossible. Perhaps you could help her express that she has been unable to say. It could be a life long challenge keeping silent about something she needs to express to you and others. Once the trapped emotion has been cleared the symptom will resolve.

Hang in there. The cause will be found and a treatment used the will lead to symptom relief. One to consider is EMDR. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a mental health treatment technique. This method involves moving her eyes back and forth in a specific way while she process traumatic memories which lie at the root of her lock jaw.

Robert Rodgers, Ph.D.
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery
Road to Recovery from Parkinsons Recovery