ANYONE SUFFER FROM TMJ ??

I have TMJ as well.  I had it before bc but seems to be worse after treatment and while on anti-estrogen therapy.  I don't have a lot of jaw pain but I grind my teeth and experience neck pain/stiffness on the side of the my neck.  I'm not sure if the neck issues are from my TMJ or from tight pectoral muscles from my tissue expanders/implants and radiation.  I think I have two forces working against my neck.  Anyway,  I wear a night guard and do some mouth exercises.  I have also complicated the problem by loosing my two molars on the affected side which causes me to chew on my other side and creates an imbalance.  I don't know if we have a TMJ clinic in the area, I will have to look into it.

I have TMJ. I always had a clicking sound when I opened my mouth but since chemo my jaw is worse, muscles are often tight and sometimes the jaw goes out of place and I have to push it back in place. My dentist definitely believes that the chemo caused it to be worse. Chemo has also ruined my teeth and I'm now having a root canal and two back molars taken out. My insurance is covering ALL of this work because it was cancer/chemo related and I get free dental treatments for this. That's the only bright side. I'm hoping that with the two teeth pulled in the back (my teeth are not aligned correctly) that the TMJ will improve. My dentist said there is only a slight chance of this but that my TMJ is not THAT bad and to just be careful how I bite into things. He didn't think anything would help it.

I have headaches and neckaches that he said MAY be caused by the TMJ. He's not sure. but I did MRI's and CT's and there are no mets so...that is a good thing.

I have had TMJ problems off and on for 20 years, but it had been about 15 years since the symptoms have been so bed that I have to hold my palm against the side of my face to keep the condyle from slipping out of alignment when I chew.  I guess I had not realized that chemo or other bc tx. would be contributing. Certainly my bilat. MX and recon. has changed my posture and tweaks my upper back and shoulders on a regular basis - don't know why I didn't connect this to my current TMJ pain.

There have been posts here mentioning all the best advice - no gum-chewing, no whole apples, no large sandwiches or corn-on-the-cob or similar which might hyperextend the joint (yes, even oral sex is contraindicated during a flare, but usually pain will remind you of this!). In some cases, the hormonal milieu can be contributory in that it affects the resilience of connective tissue and the way the joint functions is by a small 'disc' helping the condyle to slip in and out of a fossa. 

IME, both personally and clinically, anti-inflammatories, a night-guard to separate the teeth (and thus relieve strain on the ligaments, articular cartilage and delicate musculature of the area), and avoidance of activities such as those described above can help get through an acute phase. But TMJ disorder is often chronic, with flares and remissions. Certainly, Julia, one of the most common causes of a flare would be anything that causes even the most minute tweaking of your normal occlusion or bite. Don't let your DDS treat you like you are crazy - it is his responsibility to make his restorations fit to perfection. Or you should walk!

Here's a good site about anatomy and diagnosis. Often time is the best treatment, though.

http://www.pipererc.com/tmj-diagnosis.asp

Lisa

Idash,

There have been a lot of great suggestions here.  Some that I had actually forgotten because they are a part of my regular routine. Like being careful eating hard objects, opening too wide etc. 

The TMJ clinic here has been a god send.  GP signs the PT order and off I go.  For me I think it was just the stress of everything related to the BC diagnosis, that kicked off the TMJ again. 

Zyflamend was recommended by Dr. Christine Horner in her book on BC.  They have it at your basic organic grocery store, but it is less expensive on line. It is a natural blend of turmeric, ginger, green tea and a lot of other helpful ingredients that are often mentioned on the alternative page here.

I used to take alleve so much it was irritating my stomach.  I don't take much alleve any more; which is huge. 

I have also used heating pads for years.  Even wrap one around my head at night while watching TV if the TMJ is really flared.  I tried the night guard but not so much luck with that.  Hope this helped.

Regarding the TMJ exercises, I would imagine everyone would be slightly different, yet slightly the same, in what works.  Sometimes I spend as much as an hour at night, while watching TV, working on head, neck, inner and out mouth and shoulders.

I use almond with lavender oil on my shoulders and neck so I can get in there with my fingers and hands and try to unknot that area.  Massage of varying intensities seems to work.  I usually start with the shoulders and neck with a combo of pressure and strokes.

Once you start doing it you will feel where you get the most tense.  Sometimes I will just hold and pinch an area tightly until it starts to relax.  You are trying to break up the tension pattern.

I will massage the back of my head where it meets the skull and also do pressure and stroking on the temple area, hairline, up and down the outer jaw, under the jaw, etc.

For the inside and outside the mouth part, I try to grab with my forefinger or middle finger, on the outside and thumb on the inside of my mouth.  Try to get back as far as I can to the mandible, (?) muscle.  It is usually fairly thick.  If you can work on that for a little while with a tight pressure it may even hurt, but eventually it will release. 

I also try different areas of the cheek as you come forward toward the middle of your mouth.  You will probably find the tight spots once you get into it.  Hope this helps.

I was diagnosed with TMJ when I was 26 years old, back then I had the chance to fix it but was a single mom and the only place in Ontario back then that fixed it was Newliskard.  I couldn't afford to go there and I couldn't leave my children plus they told me that I'd have to wear a mouth wire for quite a long time and it all scared me. So I've lived with popping ears whenever I swallow or yawn, the only thing that still scares me about it is...and the Dentist warned me that my jaw could freeze open when I yawned, and for years I did the old church yawn, you know the one where you look really stupid and try yawn with your mouth not opening.  I yawn now like everyone and haven't thought about it in a long time. But you know maybe I don't need an MRI maybe my headaches are from TMJ.  Anyone else out there a grinder as well. Some morning I wakeup and my mouth, jaw, and teeth hurt from grinding. I used a mouth guard but ground through it and almost choked on it so I don't use that anymore.  Oh the joys of life.

I haven't read all the responses, so sorry if I am repeating what others have already said.  I have fairly severe TMJ, my right side "clicks" when I lower my jaw, and my left side "clicks" a little less audibly on closing.  About ten years ago I was on a stressful project, working long, stressful, hours every day.  One morning I woke up and my jaw simply didn't work and I had a huge knot on the side of my face!

I went to the dentist and went through several years of dental work to prevent me from grinding my teeth, which was absolutely aggravating the TMJ, and started using a guard to keep me from grinding when I am stressed out.

I still have the clicking, but the pain is under control.  When I feel TMJ pain in my jaw, it is a signal to me that I am stressed and I need to manage that stress.

I also know a guy who had surgery for his TMJ and I am going to be in contact with him to find out if it was successful.  He still has his jaw wired shut, so he doesn't know if it worked yet.  If it did, I might go for it just so that I wouldn't be able to eat solid food for 6 weeks (crash diet!)

editing to add:  I think AGING and hormones (or lack thereof) have a lot to do with the increase in symptoms from TMJ

About 4 yrs ago

I had TMJ



had so much work done on my teeth

or maybe it was longer



as I had root canals in the front teeth

teeth filed down for crowns

then lost my teeth

a plate to be made



and I tell you.. it was not nice

the dentists did not seem to say much

sent me down to a specialist

but I did not want that mouthguard



finally after work stopped

my mouth got better but u

see the stress of it all

holding open your mouth & then the

worry re the bill



was enough for me



Best to you



I have lost my teeth in the front..mainly

on one side.. due to chemo



what can you do..

best we can



Best to all..hang on to the ones

remaining



and .. Enjoy





Sierra

I have had a really bad case of TMJ for years.  Several times the jaw has popped out of thesocket, which is very painful.

One simple thing to do is use a heating pad on the jaw, ten minutes each side, every night.  It loosens things up.  Second, you don' need an expert if you have a good dentist and it sure sounds like you don't.  Find another dentist.  Get fitted for a nightguard -- thats a must.