TMJ: It Bites. Anyone else here have it?

[vivalostwages]

Not only does it bite, but I sure wish I could bite better than I have been lately.
It started for no reason that I know of on the 13th. Several days later, Dr. was on a long lunch break, so off I went to Urgent Care. Diagnosis: "Your right jaw joint is inflamed" [duh]; they gave me Medrol (prednisone) and told me to ice it.
The steroids did nothing and the ice made it worse. It hurt so freaking bad that it kept me up half the night several days later. I finally grew some brain cells and went to the dentist, who took an x-ray and showed me the culprit via the picture and the real human skull that he's so fond of displaying: a somewhat-closed-up space on the joint/capsule on the right side.
So for now, it's the conservative treatment: warm packs, Aleve (I can't take ibuprofen), and nothing too hard to chew. I'm gumming things down and it takes twice as long to eat as it did before. (Hey, maybe there's a weight loss secret in here somewhere....I'm trying to find something positive.) In the early morning when the Aleve is wearing off, it freaking hurts like a madman. I don't dare yawn widely or even laugh too hard, and coughing or sneezing is sheer agony. If it doesn't clear up by early December, I'm told I could be getting a splint.
It didn't quite seem strong enough for Pitting, though I still Pit the Shit out of It.
Share your experience--and please reassure me, if you can, that it won't be long-term.

[cowgirl]

O yes, I feel your pain. Well, not currently, because I have figured out the solution ...

I did the rounds when I was in agony last summer. I will save you the trouble and summarize the results:

Doctor: "I dunno, go see a dentist"

Dentist: "I dunno, go see an oral surgeon"

Oral surgeon: "Thanks for your $60. Your jaw is messed up. Avoid hard foods like apples and chewy things like toffee [no shit, sherlock]. All a splint or surgery can do is make it hurt less (we can't fix it!). Come back if you're still in agony next month."

Internet: Magnesium (http://www.ctds.info/tmj.html). I started taking magnesium supplements and it's all gotten 100% better. So much so that if I go off the magnesium, it comes back.

Also yoga. Yoga helps a lot.

Do you grind your teeth? If so there's a particular trick that helps, I've tried to describe on these boards before: Gently press your tongue on the roof of your mouth and relax your jaw. Whenever you feel the impulse to clench or grind or otherwise do something that will hurt your jaw, do this. Eventually (if you're like me) it will become habitual, and your mouth will automatically do it when you feel like grinding. (Do it while you're going to sleep if you grind at night.)

From what I can tell, it's with you for life. All you can do is deal with the pain, and I would recommend nutrition and exercise rather than a long-term drug regimin.

There are billions of threads on here, try searching under "temporomandibular."

[cowgirl]

More about magnesium (http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium.asp):

Apparently magnesium deficiency is very common in the population (and particularly in women (http://www.ctds.info/magnesium-deficiency.html)) and causes all sorts of problems ranging from minor to major, and often ones that we wouldn't attribute to a nutrient deficiency.

I eat lots of magnesium-rich foods, but still noticed a massive improvement in a number of areas when I started taking supplements.

Ask your doctor specifically to check your existing levels, or consult a nutritionist about it. You won't regret it.

[The Great Sun Jester]

I don't have TMJ, and one of my coworkers doesn't either except she's told her husband that she does so she doesn't get called upon to fellate him. Don't ask me why I know this. The truth would simply not be as entertaining as anything that could be thought up.

[Ximenean]

What the hell is "TMJ"? We don't have it here, at least I've never heard of it.

[The Great Sun Jester]

TMJ Dysfunction (http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/topics/tmj.cfm)

[Ximenean]

Yeah, but would it kill anybody to explain that TMJ stands for Temporo-Mandibular Joint, which is apparently "the joint where the lower jaw joins the temporal bone of the skull"? I hate it when people just drop abbreviations like that and expect you to know what they're talking about.

Um, sorry about everbody's TMJ problems, though.

[pudytat72]

Damaged my TMJ (temporomandibular joint-where your lower jaw connects to your face just in front of the lower part of your ear ) when I was 17 (cumulative stress from playing the oboe for 6 years)
Now age 51
No gum chewing; apples -slice them; no corn on the cob; no chewy candy/taffy; avoid hard rolls and tough cuts of meat; any activity that requires alot of biting or tearing force.
I've had braces twice (mid-20's and mid 40's), wear my retainers most nights now.
if you grind your teeth, you may need a mouth guard (keeps the teeth from locking together)
Now that you know you have it, you will be able to learn what triggers your pain and how much of the triggers you can tolerate before you get in trouble.

[pudytat72]

Damaged my TMJ (temporomandibular joint-where your lower jaw connects to your face just in front of the lower part of your ear ) when I was 17 (cumulative stress from playing the oboe for 6 years)
Now age 51
No gum chewing; apples -slice them; no corn on the cob; no chewy candy/taffy; avoid hard rolls and tough cuts of meat; any activity that requires alot of biting or tearing force. (Don't prop your chin in your hand when you are reviewing your post on Straight Dope!)

I've had braces twice (mid-20's and mid 40's), wear my retainers most nights now. Braces were very helpful for me-I had a bit of an overbite)
if you grind your teeth, you may need a mouth guard (keeps the teeth from locking together)
Now that you know you have it, you will be able to learn what triggers your pain and how much of the triggers you can tolerate before you get in trouble.

[Rubystreak]

I have mild TMJ and grind my teeth. I have one of those plastic things to wear while I sleep because my enamel is coming off. Since I got the bite corrector/ grindy prevention device, things have been better. Problem is, I tend to clench my jaw under stress, which is bad and leads to those excruciating head/neck/ear aches. There really is nothing for it in a permanent, one time fix way, though maybe if you got your dentist to take molds of your teeth and make you a retainer, you'd feel a bit better. It has helped me.

[Antigen]

I have a mild case, mostly from a childhood fall that affected my jaw, and from waiting too long to get braces to correct a bad bite (or so my dentist has told me).

Most days, I'm fine, but when I'm very stressed or it's very cold out, I tend to clench my teeth without noticing it, and I'll be in excruciating pain for hours afterwards. Ibuprofen usually helps, but sometimes it's so bad I can hardly talk or open my mouth, and I can't turn my head at all because the pain that results is like someone's stabbing me in the ear. Luckily, this sort of thing only happens a couple of days a month, so far.

I wish my problem was gaused by grinding, because then I could get a retainer made and it would get better. Oh well.

[Batsinma Belfry]

Mine is caused from being hit in the jaw with a softball bat when I was a kid. My jaw used to get locked, usually while it was open. I grind my teeth when I'm sleeping and under stress. I've ground them so hard that I dislodged a crown on one of my teeth.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

I've had on & off problems since around 9/11.

Stress can bring it on too.

[Honey]

I was hit by a guy on a ten-speed bike when I was 17. The impact broke by jaw, cheekbone, and my left eye orbit. I've had pain ever since.

When I was 20 my jaw became locked shut*, so that I could only open my mouth just enough to fit something the size of a slice of bread in my mouth.

About six months later I yawned (something that was extremely painful) and I heard and felt a pop and I was able to finally open my mouth. I still get terrible headaches but, my jaw has never locked up again.

*I had verrry understanding boyfriend at the time. ;)

[MsRobyn]

I took my dentist's prize for most jaw clicks with three. I injured the left side of my face in a car accident several years ago, and that left me with permanent damage. The fact that only side is affected makes it worse because the stress is uneven.

I can't eat apples unless they've been cut up, and gum is right out. My dentist wants to put me in a mouth guard pretty much 24-7 because grinding is affecting existing neck problems and vice versa. He thinks a silicon guard will help soften things enough and absorb some of the stress. (It would help if my insurance would cover stress management therapy, but they don't. I'd have to get it through the counseling center at school, which I don't want to do for other reasons.)

Robin

[USCDiver]

Why is it called TMJ. I mean, as stated, TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint. I have two of them, but I don't have a problem with either of them. It would be like saying 'I have a head' or 'I have an appendix' instead of 'headache' or 'appendicitis'.

[PinkMarabou]

Hopefully I can give you some more insight on this as I see no one who's posted yet to this thread has had surgery. Since I am in my childbearing years, I might give the magnesium supplement a shot.

I had TMD surgery on my right joint a little over a year ago. For the previous year or two, I heard and felt popping and clicking close to my right ear when I would chew. In the mornings, I would wake up with headaches and my teeth would throb. I mistakenly thought I had a mouth full of cavities.

My mother worked for an oral surgeon for years and I explained my symptoms to her. Her face goes pale and she asks me how long I've had this problem. Since it was so regular, I didn't think it was abnormal. My shoulders pop all the time, as do my big toes - I thought it was just a joint issue and nothing to worry about.

Little did I know.

She told me to stay away from hard candy, apples, anything chewy or hard. I don't listen very well, I love hard candy, raw fruits, and veggies. Then the pain started and I told her about that as well. She looked at me and said "one of these days your jaw is going to lock up, you better hope it doesn't lock open because not only will you be embarrassed and not be able to speak coherently, you'll need surgery immediately". Walking around with a locked-open jaw sounded mortifying as I've heard all the jokes about "lock-jaw" and it's relation to fellatio.

I kept putting it off and hoping it would go away. Then one morning, summer of 2004, I woke up for work and my jaw felt really odd. I then realized I couldn't open my jaw more than 2-3 centimeters at best. I freaked out and called my husband crying. I made an emergency appointment with an oral surgeon and was told I needed to go to my dentist to get"diagnosed". So I go and get the x-rays (which they could barely fit in my mouth) and make another appointment with the oral surgeon.

They prescribe me steriods, but he had little hope. Two weeks later, still locked. The discussions then went on to how to remedy the situation. I had one option, surgery.

Since I'm a bit of a research freak, I spent many hours reading message boards and scouring for information. Everything sounded so bleak, even the surgeon told me there is no "cure" for it and he couldn't guaruntee anything. I knew I couldn't live like this, so I called the insurance company to pre-approve it and went ahead with the procedure.

I had never been put under before and was more scared of that than the cutting. They made a tiny incision right in front of my ear (the indentation where you can feel the TMJ), cleaned out the swelling around the slipped disk, and put it back in place. I felt miserable for a couple hours and had some nasty swelling for a few days. I was limited to an almost entirely liquid diet (no weight loss, pudding adds up quickly!) for about a month or so and then they started the physical therapy. That was hell. They gave me tongue depressors and each day I had to try and fit these in my mouth with the goal of having all 30 or so laying flat on my tongue. I wasn't making much progress and the swelling came back. My surgeon checked me out and said I had an infection and put me on antibiotics right away. Within a week, the swelling was gone and I made huge progress on the depressors.

About 2-3 months after the surgery, I was almost back to normal. It will never feel the same again, but I can deal with that. I don't have much pain unless I am stressed, and even then I can recognize it when it happens. I sleep with a Doctor's Nightguard (at gorcery stores, around $25) during those stressful days. My only concerns are my left jaw now pops a lot and I've acquired a new habit in my sleep that the guard doesn't protect, I push my tongue against the back of my teeth. So now my front teeth hurt. I may need braces eventually, but I'm okay for now. I just try to recognize my stress levels and have learned to calm down as much as I can.

Good luck and I hope you won't need surgery. Not everyone has the success I did with it. Some people are in pain their entire lives with this. I'm just waiting until the left side goes out.

:(

USCDiver, it's not called TMJ as you noted, that wouldn't make much sense. It's actually called TMD or temporomandibular disorder. Everyone has two TMJ's naturally. It's been called TMJ for so many years, that many people don't realize that's not the proper terminology. TMJ rolls off the tongue for some people easier than TMD. Simple misunderstanding that has gone on for years.

[partlycloudy]

Wow, dramatic story PinkMarabou.

I grind my teeth at night, and sometimes during the day. Some nights it's really bad and I'll wake up because of it. On those nights I've actually taken to shoving sheets between my teeth so I can get back to sleep! It doesn't cause me headaches and my jaw is sore only rarely, but my main complaint is that it makes my teeth hurt. I can tell they're flatter than they used to be, and the gap between my two front teeth (that I had when I was younger & was corrected with braces) has started to widen again. I also now have little pits in the bottoms/tops of most of my teeth. I can feel those with my tongue. This all started about a year ago, and I can't think of any stressful event that's occurred to make it happen, and it hasn't gone away. The dentist says it could be that my bite has shifted and isn't aligned anymore. They suggested that "Invisalign braces" might correct my bite and solve the problem, but I just don't think I buy into the "invisible" braces thing. I'd rather just wear a retainer/nightguard at night. I will definitely try out the Doctor's Nightguard thing. Up til now, I thought you could only get those at the dentist.

[Batsinma Belfry]

Why is it called TMJ. I mean, as stated, TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint. I have two of them, but I don't have a problem with either of them. It would be like saying 'I have a head' or 'I have an appendix' instead of 'headache' or 'appendicitis'.

It's TMJ Syndrome.

It's actually called TMD or temporomandibular disorder. Everyone has two TMJ's naturally. It's been called TMJ for so many years, that many people don't realize that's not the proper terminology. TMJ rolls off the tongue for some people easier than TMD. Simple misunderstanding that has gone on for years.

I've only heard it called TMD once. In a medical segment on the local news they said... " TMJ Syndrome also called TMD..."

So I guess they're both acceptable.

[vivalostwages]

I'd never heard anyone call it TMD before this thread. Hmmm.
Thanks for all the tips and stories. I do indeed take calcium/magnesium every day, mainly for restless legs. But I guess I never should have stopped yoga and Pilates. I walk quite a lot but that is hardly the same thing.
I don't grind the teeth as far as I can tell. But I have a feeling I'm going to wind up with one of those nightguards (?), because the Aleve isn't doing a thing, and I'm losing a lot of sleep from this thing. I'm still not sure what brought it on, though it could have been stress; October was a very stressful month for me.

[PinkMarabou]

It's TMJ Syndrome.

I've only heard it called TMD once. In a medical segment on the local news they said... " TMJ Syndrome also called TMD..."

So I guess they're both acceptable.

Must be a regional thing. My Oral Surgeon and all the brochures in his office call it TMD. I guess TMJ Syndrome is used as well in other areas. I'm sure if you did a Google search on both (or even all 3 names) you would find information on it.

I hope you find some solutions that work for you and don't ignore it like I did. The recovery is difficult and there were many times I didn't think I'd ever be able to eat right again. My jaw still doesn't align completely, but I can chew now and to me that's huge progress.

[vivalostwages]

Back to the dentist today, and they took impressions so I can get the splint within a couple of weeks; it takes that long to fabricate. In the meantime, I will stay with the heat packs and Tylenol, since Aleve did nothing. It still hurts like a sumbitch in the early morning and wakes me up. The actual cause is jaw clenching, most likely tension- and stress-related.

I really wish I could get this over with.

[Ass For A Hat]

Back to the dentist today, and they took impressions so I can get the splint within a couple of weeks; it takes that long to fabricate. In the meantime, I will stay with the heat packs and Tylenol, since Aleve did nothing. It still hurts like a sumbitch in the early morning and wakes me up. The actual cause is jaw clenching, most likely tension- and stress-related.
I've got my fingers crossed for you.

I clench my teeth when I sleep as well. My TMJ had been quite mild for a number of years. I never had any pain, just clicking and popping. Then a few years back, for no apparent reason, I woke up with my jaw locked open. Not wide, wide open, but I couldn't bring my teeth together & I couldn't chew food. It was extremely disconcerting. After 30 minutes or more of activity, I'd eventually be able to get my jaw working again. The next morning though, I'd be back in the same position. A month or more passed while I found a TMJ specialist, got an appointment and finally got my splint. It was a miserable month, but the splint was a life saver. Within just a few days, my jaw was significantly better. I was shocked at how quickly it worked. The doc said such quick results weren't typical though.

It's been three or four years now. I wear my splint maybe once a week, just enough that it'll continue to fit. I haven't had any problems. I hope everything works out as well for you.

[Clothahump]

SWMBO grinds her teeth at night, has since she was a small child. She wears a splint to protect the teeth and now takes a muscle relaxant called Elavil before she goes to sleep to reduce the stress from the grinding.

Over the years, the stress has pretty much destroyed her left TMJ. The joint is almost completely gone and the dentist has described what is happening as basically the bone ends are eventually going to rub themselves down and create a new "fake" joint. Until that happens, she's not going to be a happy camper.

[vivalostwages]

I just got my little splint today. I've worn it for a while and am getting used to it. I hope it works for me every night. I'll be going back for an adjustment in mid-January.

[yBeayf]

I have extremely mild TMJ -- occasional pain, but frequently my left TMJ will grind whenever I open or close my mouth. I clench my jaw frequently and unconsciously, so I look forward to having full-blown TMJ dysfunction one of these days.

[vivalostwages]

A few months later, I am nearly pain-free. :) I try to remember to wear the little dealie every night. It has dramatically decreased the headaches, nearly eliminated the jaw pain, and I don't find my ears ringing anymore (dentist just told me that's another side effect of jaw-clenching).

The other night I forgot to wear it and woke up with a nasty, sharp headache. Learned my lesson the hard way.

The sucker cost, but it was worth every penny.

[MsMitey]

I had what I thought was TMJ trouble years ago when I was in high school. Every once in awhile I'd open my mouth to eat something and then just double over in pain. I could never open wide, and sometimes I could hardly open at all. I seem to have grown out of it, so maybe it wasn't TMJ?

[Kyla]

I have TMJ Syndrome, thanks to twelve years of playing the flute. (Try to resist the urge to make jokes.) I was diagnosed after a week at music camp left my jaw pretty much locked in place. I have one of those mouthguard thingies, which I LOATHE and never use. My dentist assured me I'd get used to it immediately and soon I wouldn't be able to sleep without it; obviously he's a big fibber. I can't see the point anyway, as my main problem is not that I grind my teeth - I clench my jaws in my sleep, and the mouthguard doesn't help in the slightest with that. I take prescription muscle relaxants instead, otherwise I wake up constantly with intense pain in my left TMJ, right under my ear. (I thought it was an ear infection, at first.)

I ran out of my pills awhile ago and have been going without because my ENT wouldn't refill my scrip unless I went in for a checkup, and I was mad at him, so I didn't go. (He performed what he called a "minor surgical procedure" on my nose, only it turned out to be a lot less minor than he'd led me to believe and I was pissed off that he hadn't told me what to expect.) Only I'm going through a really stressful time at the moment and my TMJ is killing me, giving me headaches, waking me up at night, etc. So I have to go see him, and I am grouchy about it.

The only piece of advice I religiously follow is the gum chewing thing. A couple minutes of chewing gum, and my jaw is locked up. I don't think I've chewed gum in ten years.

[ZipperJJ]

Congrats with your success, viva!!

I've had TMJD since 1997. Got splints, braces, got it under control. Jaw shifted, got splints, braces again, under control again. My first bout with it I self-medicated with weed. Not such a good idea. Second time around I went to my doctor at the first sign of pain.

And yes, fellatio is hard to do when you have TMJD. :)

[cher3]

My husband is another adult braces success story. He had them for a year and now wears a night guard to keep everything in place. He hasn't had any pain since, that I'm aware of.