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Original poster

TMJ pain

19 replies

ImHavingAnOldFriendForDinner · 25/07/2022 23:49

Posting here for traffic.

Does anyone suffer from TMJ pain? Apart from pain killers is there anything else that helps?

I've been in pain for months now mainly due to jaw clenching, I tried Botox in my jaw muscle but it hasn't really helped. I saw the GP today who said it's TMJ disorder and if it doesn't go away then go see my dentist (dentist sent me to GP as he thought I had an ear infection)! I go on holiday tomorrow so I can't see anyone until I'm back in 10 days and it's driving me crazy and I've got a relentless headache 🤯

Anyone have any advice?

Thanks!

OP posts:
QueenOfHiraeth · 25/07/2022 23:57

I had something similar years ago, it felt like constant toothache for about 3-4 months and was soul destroying

My dentist was useless, took one tooth out, gave a mouthguard which made me retch constantly then just fobbed me off
GP tried to help but carbamazepine made me very sick
Finally I went to a maxillofacial specialist who diagnosed it, prescribed nortriptyline and recommended a change of dentist. This new dentist was wonderful and gave an NTi device which has been life changing for me

mrs55 · 26/07/2022 00:04

I could only recommend Botox I had it in my jaw and it has been amazing do you think they gave you the right dose did you go back for a 2 week check up ? I go once a year for it now .

Konyeshno · 26/07/2022 08:25

Do you need to go private for these treatments, @mrs55 and @QueenOfHiraeth? I'm skint but have to do something after yet another night of no sleep due to waking myself up teeth gnashing/gagging on my useless OTC gum shield is sending me potty. I physically cannot relax my jaw. There's no position that it's comfortable in at all, but am not sure it's TMJ.

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mrs55 · 26/07/2022 08:58

@Konyeshno I got it done off a trained nurse who does my Botox and fillers it was £120 for Botox to the jaw , need less maintenance than regular Botox as that's every 3/4 month. I just go once a year .

mumpower3 · 26/07/2022 09:05

Hello , i too suffer this and haven't had much help! One thing i found helped was applying a gel to my jaw where the pain would be (on the outside) i think you can get them most pharmacies or supermarkets. Its just a painkiller gel. Seemed to help a bit also applying a warm compress to the area too.

oranmore · 26/07/2022 09:09

Have you had a custom made mouthguard yet OP?

Elisheva · 26/07/2022 09:14

There are physiotherapists who can teach you special exercises which help to realign your jaw muscles and reduce the stress on the tmj.

HelloThereObiWan · 26/07/2022 09:20

Icing helps in the same way it does other strains. Take time to relax your jaw every hour or so. Part your teeth slightly and touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue.

You have my sympathies. Mouth guard made mine worse.

SallyWD · 26/07/2022 09:32

I went to the dentist and he made a mouth guard I was supposed to wear when I'm asleep. I just couldn't get my head around it! Having a big lump of plastic in my mouth all night. I can't tell you if it works because I could never wear it for a whole night. My TMJ pain flares up if I've been busy or stressed. It can last 3 days at a time but then I'll have relief for a while after that. Ibuprofen helps but I'm not supposed to take it for medical reasons. If I'm at home I use a hot water bottle and find it very effective. It really seems to ease the tension and pain in that area. Obviously it's not a solution if you're out and about. Let us know if you find a magic cure!

QueenOfHiraeth · 26/07/2022 19:41

@Konyeshno My dentist is private. The NTI device itself was only about £25 but I don't know about the impressions needed before
@SallyWD I was the same with the mouthguard, I kept retching as it felt so big.
This is the device (although not my dentist).

Original poster
ImHavingAnOldFriendForDinner · 27/07/2022 12:42

Sorry for posting and disappearing, we are on holiday now and I'd quite like to drown my head in the pool! It's so weird as some morning I wake up ok and then it seems to be the longer the day goes on the worse the pain gets. @QueenOfHiraeth it really is soul destroying! We have basic private health cover through dh's work so I'm wondering if it would cover a visit to a maxillofacial specialist, I'll have a look into it when we get home. Glad to hear the NTI device is working, I'm just going to look at the link you posted now. It's like a constant headache/sinus pain and toothache all rolled into one.

@mrs55 I wasn't offered a two week check up just told to go back in 3 months for the next injections. The pain in the right side wasn't this bad before I had the botox so I'm wondering if something has gone wrong?

@mumpower3 sorry you're suffering to, is your pain constant? I'm in Spain at the moment so going to go to the pharmacy later and see if I can pick up some of the pain relief gel.

@oranmore I went to the dentist and he sent me to the GP as he thought it might be an ear infection!

Thanks for that link @Elisheva I'm going to have a look in a second, I hadn't thought of physiotherapy.

@HelloThereObiWan I'm going to try that on and off today to see if it helps.

@SallyWD heat was definitely helping at home but I can't really do that now I'm on holiday, ibuprofen does take the edge off but I can still feel it. The mouth guards sound horrendous!!

I'm hoping maybe being on holiday and relaxing in general will help but I suffer with anxiety (health mainly) so never truely relaxed. I do take Citalopram but that isn't helping with the jaw.

If anyone finds a magic cure please let me know!

OP posts:
Minimalist66 · 27/07/2022 12:51

Hi I get/got TMJ Awful morning headaches (plus jaw pain etc) for years until my dentist made me a nighttime mouth guard- which worked! I wore it for a few months then kinda forgot - the morning headaches have not come back as yet.
I used to do various jaw exercises and face massages I found on YouTube which did ease things a little.

mumpower3 · 27/07/2022 12:57

Hello , its always there i have just learnt to live with it unfortunately. I have to be careful when i yawn as my jaw can also lock which is scary!! I try not to eat chewy / hard foods too.

Deedoo · 07/10/2025 07:44

@ImHavingAnOldFriendForDinner did you get fixed in the end

Original poster
ImHavingAnOldFriendForDinner · 07/10/2025 15:42

@Deedoo its funny you should ask now as I’m having a flare up and it’s really painful! The one thing that has helped massively is Botox, I know I said in my original post that it hadn’t helped but I found a dentist who did it so I went to see him and he has been amazing. It took a while to get the dose right and I need quite a high dose but it worked in the end, I’ve messed up a bit now though because I haven’t been for 7 months and became a bit over confident which has led to it completely wearing off and me having a big flare up. I’ve got an appointment next week though so hopefully it will settle down again. It’s not cheap but I start putting money away for the next session once I’ve had it done, it’s been so worth it though. Also when it’s really bad icing it and the pain relief gel have been really helpful.

OP posts:
CatrinVennastin · 07/10/2025 15:46

@ImHavingAnOldFriendForDinner i had ultrasound on my jaw done by my physio then Botox.

It could be the Botox wasn’t put in the right location. I would go back and see them again.

its an awful thing to have, you have my sympathies.

Deedoo · 07/10/2025 16:13

@CatrinVennastin did the ultrasound help

Deedoo · 07/10/2025 19:06

@QueenOfHiraeth how soon did the medication work

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