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Original poster

To Be At Crisis Point With TMJ Pain

86 replies

BeeDaisy · 31/03/2025 13:21

I am really struggling. I’ve been to the dental hospital numerous times to see the TMJ consultant and they just give me a mouth guard and send me on my way. It doesn’t nothing but cause even more pain.

The doctor just throws medication at me all of which I’m struggling with. I came off Amytriplyine because I couldn’t cope with the side effects. I’ve now had to do the same with Nortyriptyline.

I take cocodamol and naproxen daily. I try and take breaks at the weekend and switch to ibruprofen and anadin. Nothing fully gets rid of the pain.

I went to see an osteopath and felt relief for two hours afterwards. Unfortunately after this I was in agony much more than normal for 2 days and still counting.

I just don’t know what to do with myself anymore. I’m so fed up and sad about it all. Not a moment goes by when I’m not in pain. My sleep is disturbed.

I’ve been reading up on Botox and other private things but I’m worried I will pay all that money and it won’t do anything.

I am also worried about the damage all the painkillers could be doing to my body.

I also want dental treatment to make my front teeth look nice but no one will touch me whilst I’m in so much pain with TMJ.

Has anyone found a long term solution please? Or got rid of most of the pain?

It is really affecting my quality of life at this point.

I don’t know where to go from here.

OP posts:
BunnyEaster · 09/04/2025 00:12

Middleagedstriker · 31/03/2025 13:41

Acupuncture can be absolutely brilliant for TMJ. Well worth a go.

This. I was on amatritaline ( sp?) Then some epilepsy drug. Then while on that had acupuncture. I think mine was a irriated nerve stuck "on" just turning it "off" broke the pain cycle. At least I think.

Weirdly I don't think I had normal sensation there anymore after the pain stopped. But mine was on the back of my head, not my jar. Same root nerve but less important. Therefore one of my options was to have a steroid injection. Touch wood it's never flared up again.

Wishihadanalgorithm · 09/04/2025 00:03

Botox doesn’t work for me.

But hypnotherapy on the other hand made a massive difference.

I had to stop going because of difficulty getting appointment times that worked with my working hours but one session every couple of weeks was a really effective treatment.

TheFatCatsWhiskers1 · 08/04/2025 23:45

Mummabear04 · 08/04/2025 23:01

Can I ask if anyone has had botox who has mainly experienced pain in the muscle above their ear in their head? The one connecting to the masseter muscle (but above the jaw).

I don’t personally feel the pain there so much, but that area can be injected too.

Mummabear04 · 08/04/2025 23:01

Can I ask if anyone has had botox who has mainly experienced pain in the muscle above their ear in their head? The one connecting to the masseter muscle (but above the jaw).

Moier · 08/04/2025 22:58

I had acupuncture.. Best thing ever.. l had first lot on NHS.. the physio my dentist referred me to did it.
Then because I'm good for money.. l now pay private.. it lasts between 3 to 4 months .
£ 60 per session.
Botox did not take away my pain.
I'm already on morphine patches for other pain.. but nothing helped my TMJ .. until l had acupuncture. If your considering this do your research for a good knowledgeable one.

Mummabear04 · 08/04/2025 22:38

BeeDaisy · 05/04/2025 14:29

Even less pain today. Still taking painkillers but they are fully getting rid of the pain. It feels so weird!

Did you go to a dentist to get botox? Did you need a referral from your nhs dentist?

Bettyfluff · 05/04/2025 15:07

Sounds like a strange one, but I’ve found giving up caffeine really helped my TMJ pain. Only happened upon it by accident when I gave up caffeine for IVF, didn’t realise the link until I started drinking coffee again and the pain came back. Gave it up again for another round and it stopped again. Looked into it and it’s something to do with caffeine making muscles more tense. Just thought I’d pass that one on in case it helps, as I searched for a solution for me and never saw this as an idea, but apparently it is a thing. I actually couldn’t believe, after all the painkillers I’d been taking, that this is what would stop it for me

Original poster
BeeDaisy · 05/04/2025 14:29

Even less pain today. Still taking painkillers but they are fully getting rid of the pain. It feels so weird!

OP posts:
FeministUnderTheCatriarchy · 05/04/2025 11:31

Botox every 5-6 months.
Only cure I've found!

I really hope it works for you

TheFatCatsWhiskers1 · 05/04/2025 11:29

BeeDaisy · 04/04/2025 14:07

I’m hoping it’s not just coincidence but..

The pain is much less today. I’ve still had to take pain killers but they’ve mostly gotten rid of all the pain.

My jaw doesn’t seem to be pushing itself into the clench position as much and I’m finding it easier to hold it in a relaxed position.

Im really hoping this is the start of it actually working!

After a few days you’ll notice that you can’t clench your teeth together with much force. It’s a very strange feeling at first.

Original poster
BeeDaisy · 04/04/2025 14:07

I’m hoping it’s not just coincidence but..

The pain is much less today. I’ve still had to take pain killers but they’ve mostly gotten rid of all the pain.

My jaw doesn’t seem to be pushing itself into the clench position as much and I’m finding it easier to hold it in a relaxed position.

Im really hoping this is the start of it actually working!

OP posts:
Original poster
BeeDaisy · 03/04/2025 17:14

I’m sure I’ve only had X-rays off my teeth none of my jaw.
Botox she said it may or may not work as she expected my lower muscles to be tougher which is a sign of teeth clenching.
I went ahead anyway as I feel I need to try anything at this point.
I’ve not had as much pain today but I don’t know if that’s just coincidence.

I also started taking nortrypline again a few evenings ago too so that may be having an effect.

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 03/04/2025 16:40

Botox almost got rid of mine, was amazing for my face not to hurt.

When I still managed to get TMJ despite the Botox massage helped a lot.

GainsvilleRockCity · 03/04/2025 16:33

My mum gets both botox and uses and osteopath to treat her TMJ. It's botox once every 3-4 months and the osteopath every 2 weeks in-between. She's not cured but she's a different woman than she was this time last year.

freefields · 03/04/2025 16:26

Has it been xrayed OP? I do think that’s really important. How did you get on with the botox?

User37482 · 03/04/2025 09:42

clove oil directly on the gum, burns like hell but does provide temporary relief.

Original poster
BeeDaisy · 03/04/2025 09:41

Freefields I saw an osteopath last weekend and felt relief for about two hours after but still had pain. After that I have days of much more horrendous pain so I don’t think it helped any at all.

OP posts:
Original poster
BeeDaisy · 03/04/2025 09:39

I think they said the disc is too far forward on one side which limits opening. My jaws default position is the clench position. I have to work hard to be aware and constantly move it from that position.

All they seem prepared to do though is give me a mouth guard which I just cannot keep in because the pain becomes unbearable.

OP posts:
Mummabear04 · 03/04/2025 09:26

AlwaysFreezing · 31/03/2025 16:04

My sister suffered dreadfully with TMJ. She had botox and it did help, more than anything else that she tried upto that point.

The thing that made the biggest difference though was having the impacted wisdom tooth removed on that side. Have you anything like that going on? It was partially erupted and partially impacted. Removing it was difficult. But the relief, I don't think she's had an episode since. The botox gave her 9 months of relief. A private dentist did it for her. I took her and she was in agony. She could barely open her mouth to let the dentist look. So she gave her the botox. And within a day she could open her mouth.

You poor thing. My sister said that alternating ice and heat on the muscle gave her the best relief when she was suffering.

I've just emailed my dentist about my wisdom tooth that hasn't come in. Thanks for this!

freefields · 03/04/2025 08:31

Botox will reduce the power in your jaw muscles so will take the strain off the joint by reducing clenching/ grinding but if the joint is arthrtic botox won’t help the pain/ inflammation. The specialist dentist I see is not that into botox for this issue.

freefields · 03/04/2025 08:28

OP has your dentist ir anyone else done a full OPG xray and looked at the TMJ joint? Is it on one side or both? Do you have stiffness/ limited opening? Any cruchy/ grindy noises when opening?
I had issues and already had a night guard etc. I had tried botox which did not solve the underlying problem. My dentist referred me to a dentist with a special interest in jaw issues. He did an OPG Xray and told me I have severe arthritis in the TMJ joint on one side. He has done steroid injections into the joint a couple of times, which don’t ultimately fix the issue but massively reduce pain and inflammation for months. I don’t really take painkillers because I don’t want to take them long term. Incidentally he said to me due to the severe joint damage to never let someone like an osteopath near it.

Original poster
BeeDaisy · 03/04/2025 08:16

Thanks everyone. I’m there around lunch time so I’ll report back and let you know how it goes. It’s expensive but they said it lasts 3 to 4 months.

OP posts:
StarCourt · 02/04/2025 23:32

i have masseter botox for TMJ it does help

MamaToBloom · 02/04/2025 22:12

The only thing that helps my TMJ is Botox - after around 5/6 months it does start to wear off and I need it redone but the cost is worth the relief!

G1fted0rN0t · 02/04/2025 22:11

MostlyGhostly · 31/03/2025 15:59

If you’re anywhere near Leeds, the dental hospital has specialist CBT for chronic TMJ pain management. I think it’s NHS

@MostlyGhostly have you had any experience of this CBT or similar? I’m quite wary of NHS CBT programmes for pain and chronic illness after a bad experience (think focus was on faulty illness beliefs rather than coping with the reality of the illness.) This was a while back though so things might have improved

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