bjess46 Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Anyone been diagnosed or experience TMJ. My symptoms are a constant headache, occasional teeth pain, dizziness. I couldn?t imagine something so simple like temporal mandibular joint disorder could cause my severe headaches and symptoms but after reading online- it can occur. Getting a mouth piece soon. (Maybe- I hope) Anyone know about this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 dx with this 25 years ago...had teeth filed down a bit and wore a mouth piece for awhile...but didnt' really help much...it's kind of controllable but long story and I forget most of it... hope you have better luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjess46 Posted June 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 dx with this 25 years ago...had teeth filed down a bit and wore a mouth piece for awhile...but didnt' really help much...it's kind of controllable but long story and I forget most of it... hope you have better luck.What do you mean by kind of controllable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dionna Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 ummm they said i had TMJ because my mouth pops loudly everytime i open it or eat and it is painful but htey said there was nothing they could do about it. they said it was just bone rubbing on bone and they could do surgery but if it messed up again it would be worse. in 10 years it would be worse anyway so they stopped doing the procedure. are talking about the same thing? i just deal just like everything else. i can't take any of the meds because i am allergic. oh well. i hope you can find something. good luck to you.'dionna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worththewords Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 I have TMJ. I wouldn't really recommend getting the mouth piece unless your insurance will cover it. My insurance didn't cover it but I got it anyway thinking it would really help me. It's supposed to help ease some of the pain you create from grinding. I found that I spent my nights grinding into a very uncomfortable mouth piece. You can actually get them at the drug store to mold to your mouth - I'd suggest giving one of those a try before investing any real chunk of change. I grinded right through the drug store one but I should have known it would have been uncomfortable from my experience! Expensive lesson learned. I take Advil when I wake up and it's real bad. Stress only makes TMJ worse so do your best to go to bed relaxed (easier said than done, I know). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calypso Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 I had a stint of several months w/ TMJ symptoms. Of course, the oral surgeon who I saw said I had it and could have surgery if I wanted, but that it wouldn't be guaranteed. So I had my dentist fit me a mouthgard, b/c it turns out I was grinding my teeth at night in my sleep. I guess I am on the other end of the spectrum from worththewords, because the mouthpiece COMPLETELY took away my problems. Maybe mine wasn't as severe. But I had it for a few months, got the mouthpiece, wore it twice, and it went away. So I would recommend getting it. It is very safe, practical and if you want, you could even try a generic one from the drugstore to see if that might help before you spend the money on a custom one. I think w/ insurance, mine was still only $80.I did not get severe headaches, but I couldn't even open my mouth most days when it was acting up. I felt like I had lockjaw!Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjess46 Posted June 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 I had a stint of several months w/ TMJ symptoms. Of course, the oral surgeon who I saw said I had it and could have surgery if I wanted, but that it wouldn't be guaranteed. So I had my dentist fit me a mouthgard, b/c it turns out I was grinding my teeth at night in my sleep. I guess I am on the other end of the spectrum from worththewords, because the mouthpiece COMPLETELY took away my problems. Maybe mine wasn't as severe. But I had it for a few months, got the mouthpiece, wore it twice, and it went away. So I would recommend getting it. It is very safe, practical and if you want, you could even try a generic one from the drugstore to see if that might help before you spend the money on a custom one. I think w/ insurance, mine was still only $80.I did not get severe headaches, but I couldn't even open my mouth most days when it was acting up. I felt like I had lockjaw!AmyThanks everyone- I hope I have an experiene like calypso. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelby Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Everyone here is right. TMJ surgery is not always a corrective thing. I would know, I have had two. The other things I have tried that didn't work for me but might for someone else is jaw therapy, of course the mouth piece (more for people who grind in the night I was told), pain meds, when I had braces they put this metal thing in to help that, chiropractors, and the surgery. It is better than it was mind you, but it isn't fully healed and when they do the surgery they reset your jaw and I haven't felt the same in that area since. I even went to Mayo to fix it, but they told me that they were inclined to go in a third time because of the touchy nerves in the area where they were doing the surgery. So it is good enough for now. Hope this helps.Shelby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Sawicki Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 TMJ goes hand in hand with EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome). I have TMJ, but have been lucky in that it hasn't caused me too much pain.As for mouthpiece's, you could even buy a mouth gaurd at a sporting goods store (usually less than $5) to see if it helps before spending a lot of money. I've been told the generic mouthpieces they sell in drugstores are very similar to the mouth guards you get in a sporting goods store. I don't know if that is true...I've never compared the two.Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksibert676 Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CyberPixie Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 I suffer really badly. Always had a clunky, clicky, stiff jaw, put it down to EDS but over Christmas the pain was horrendous. Had the most awful pain in my neck, jaw, face, sinuses (nose blocked too), excruitating headache, earache and blocked ears. Now my face is lopsided permanently and my jaw looks swollen constantly, my earlobe also grew twice the size (?!) and still is as well as turning upwards. I'm turning into the elephant man LOLI also get it on the other side but not quite as bad. Stress always brings it on and a mouth guard wouldn't help me as I've lost my teeth due to the EDS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacquie802 Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Hi,I was diagnosed with having TMJ, but the clicking/popping noise in my jaw has been gone for quite some time....weird, huh?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawn Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Yup, have it. I was diagnosed when I was 18 and am now 50. I have bouts where it bothers and times I am pain free for years. Most doctors say don't have the surgery. One doctor I knew had it done and regrets it.Avoid chewing gum or anything chewy. I did have a mouth guard that I wore for years til I lost it.Good Luck-Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjess46 Posted June 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Thanks Everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Julia59 Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 My jaw pops in and out of joint on both sides---I was told I also have TMJ by all my dentists in the past---and my present one today. I also have EDS. I don't think my TMJ bothers me too much that I notice.Julie :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nadine Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Another member of the TMJ club, had it for years and worse lately. I have apparently been a teeth grinder for over 30 years, but didn't know it. My college roomie still teases me about the night she stayed awake to figure out what the heck the noise was coming from my side of the room!! I have chosen not to use the mouth guard, as I feel like I can't breathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukkychrm42 Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Yup, I get the popping out bit, too, with pain, but any locking I've had goes away pretty quickly. My sister had it quite acutely several years ago, and she was on various medications and had a mouthpiece, but it seemed to mostly get (a little bit) better with time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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