Jaw pain / TMD

[Mrsjellybum]

I have temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD) I've had it for years and went to see a consultant about 15 years ago who said not to do anything unless is causing massive issues.

Recently I've had a bad flare up and I've been in agony. The doctor has said it's causing my jaw muscles to go into spasm and triggering trigeminal neuralgia (facial nerve near jaw). This is agony, I'd rather give birth than be in this pain.

My question is has anyone got this and if so what treatments have you been given.

I'm on some anti inflammatories and stong pain killers but worried that if I come off these it will get worse but obviously don't wan to take them forever.

Had this on and off for a couple of months.was given short course of muscle relaxants

@Fluffypie1 I've got some opiates and nsaids which seem to be working at the moment.

Wondering what the consultant will suggest but hopping it's all settled by then x

Can you have Botox for this? (I have no idea but think I may have read something about it helping bruxism so maybe can relax these muscles?)

@Ridingthegravytrain maybe that's the injections that I heard about.

I know that I DO NOT want any operations as they can cause more harm than good but can't take the pills forever. I'll have to ask when I see the consultant x

i’ve had this for 12 years. recently ive started self-massaging my jaw, neck and shoulders. google SCM muscle aswell, its often tight in those with TMJ. you can find lots of self-massage and stretches for your neck muscles which help.

Ooh thanks @esk1mo I'll give that a try. anything to help x

My GP referred me to an orthodontist who specialises in splints. Doesn't take away the tmj issue but stops the pain associated with it. More extreme treatments include botox injections and surgery to correct the joint. Go to a better GP who can give proper advice about it.

Yes you need a dental splint thing to wear at night. Get a soft one, it's rubberry soft. Not marshmallow soft. They are helpful.

I'm s dentist with TMJDS and trigeminal neuralgia - I wear a bite guard at night which helps a bit- also take gabapentin which takes the edge off the neuralgia- painkillers even codeine or tramadol don't touch it.

Op - go to the dentist not the doctor about this- GPs know nothing about head and neck

Thanks for your replies.
The dentist had referred me to maxilofacial to have a shield thing fitted. I'm on naproxen and dihydrocodie e which are helping. I can still feel it but it's not agony like it was xx

Oh and the Gp was actually really helpful x

There's all sorts for it. Various different splints, medication, physio, botox, acupuncture, hypnotherapy. Botox worked the best for me. My dental hospital has a pain clinic that offered everything, they were great.

@LivingInMidnight interesting thanks for your reply. X

See an Osteopath. Helped mine loads.

I asked my osteopath about this (he is otherwise a miracle worker). He said jaws were a specialist subject, and he couldn't do much. So I saw someone in the Maxillofacialist department, after endless referral by my GP. He said my horrendous TMJ would require a significant operation (impossible, as I am a single mother to several DC). I then had an (unrelated) local anaesthetic and steroid injection in my foot. So painful that it felt like giving birth though my foot. But the TMJ disappeared, and has not returned. Explain that one, someone.

I have a soft splint and I find using warm and cold packs against my jaw helps. Liquid diet when it's really bad!

Anthea... maybe the injections in your foot accidentally hit an accupuncture point??? (Straws and clutching. .. though maybe acupuncture is worth considering. .. )

Forgiveness - happy to clutch at anything. And I do have regular acupuncture for another, unrelated, problem. But I think bodies work in a very weird way, which we can't understand...

Carbamazepine, pregabelin, gabapentin or amitriptyline are normal for TN - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/trigeminal-neuralgia/treatment/ - opiates and NSAIDS are generally ineffective.

This came up on my FB page the other day, might be useful https://yogainternational.com/article/view/yoga-for-jaw-tension?utmcontent=buffer919e0&utmmmedium=social&utmsource=facebook.com&utmmcampaign=articles

@WeAreGerbil that looks amazing and makes complete sense. Ive never done yoga but I do have a dvd of it so I think I'll try some basic yoga stuff then try those poses. Thank you x

I dislocated my jaw Xmas before last and whilst mid pregnancy and can completely agree I'd rather give birth over and over than ever suffer a dislocated jaw/muscle spasms.

My only relief was a physio referred by the maxillofacial specialist who is renowned for jaw pain (and only took me on due to pregnancy.) Physio and dental guard have helped.

My issue is that jaw popped back in immediately after dislocated but with the disc inbetween in wrong position (sorry best I can describe) so forced jaw into weird position/muscle spasm and almost lockjaw - took months to get off liquid diet.
Have also been advised of injections/surgery but the possible complications outweigh the pros for now.

I can only offer my sympathies the mental weight alone of constant pain with no end/fear of returning is horrendous.

@MainGrain OMG that must have been horrific for you. I couldn't imagine this pain without the pain meds.
Yes the dentist said it was the discy thing that had slipped and as I opened my mouth the jaw joint had to pop over the disc.

I've heated horror stories about the injections or op so think thats gonna be a definite no.

I'm currently on soft foods.
How is your jaw these days. X