TMJ/jaw pain

[courtney251]

I'm at my wits end and honestly can't see a light at the end of the tunnel.

I was diagnosed with tmj after having several jaw pain, clicking jaw and neck pain. Nothing is working. I've been having pain for like a month now .does anybody suffer and have any advice? How long is this flare up going to last? My bite is even feeling like my teeth have moved. Honestly it's a nightmare

www.pat.nhs.uk/gps-and-partners/Joint%20Pain%20Leaflet.pdf

These exercises usually reduce my pain within a day...you need to do it multiple times a day, hope it helps x

@rs2015 thank you. Do you get flare ups slot and if you do how long do they last?

DD gets this when she is stressed.

@courtney251 I usually get flare ups after dental work (initially started after having 4 wisdom teeth removed)! I really feel for you as the pain is horrendous! Try not to bite into any foods e.g. whole apples as this will cause further pain. My flare ups don't usually last longer than a few days as I quickly eat soft foods and use the exercises I posted x

Mine has got a whole lot better in recent years thankfully but I used to go to a person who specifically did TMJ massage, which provided some relief.

I had terrible teeth grinding problems for years. In lockdown it got to the stage I was taking codeine everyday, so I finally had botox. The dentist told me before that it was bad enough that he'd try to get me it on the NHS but sadly I left it too late so had to go private.

It really helped but they told me my issue is so bad, I'm likely to become resistant and also I can't keep paying!

The dentist who did the botox said to try acupuncture.

Amittryptaline helps to some extent but I have other issues with that.

Ibuprofen helps me to reduce any swelling. The swelling it causes can result in nerve pain in the face which is agony. I feel for you- it’s the most horrible pain. I went to a specialist once because my jaw Locked and I couldn’t open it past about 2cm. Waited months to just be told not to yawn (I couldn’t anyway), sing or chew chewy things. My jaw still crunches and clicks all the time but the pain only comes when I’m stressed and subconsciously clenching it. Ibuprofen is the only thing that helps me. And avoiding chewy things too!

@EmmaH2022 my dentist did suggest Botox but I live in central London it's super pricey!! How long did the Botox last and when it wore off did the pain come back as severe?

@Andacherryonthetop thank you for you're reply! I'm feeling super down I won't lie. I think I'm clenching at night I'm Trying to stop but I'm asleep so I don't realise. How often do you get flare ups?

No, it was much much less painful when it came back - about six months later. I thought about leaving it till it got worse, but only for cost reasons.

The dentist said it's possible I'll not need it again - if your jaw has been trained into not clenching, it might stay that way. They said some people only have it once and never need to return. I looked like a chipmunk when I first went, so even on return, it was still a major improvement.

Do you sleep with a mouthguard in? I have insomnia so the mouthguard was really frustrating. But I know someone who found it very helpful.

@EmmaH2022 I got my mouth guard yesterday so last night was the first night sleeping with it. Did you find a doctor that specialises in tmj Botox to do it for you?

It's just really shitty and stressful. It's like a viscous cycle I'm getting tmj because I'm stressing and clenching but now I'm more stressed because of my tmj

I started having jaw pain about five years ago, with sporadic flare ups. Then two years ago my flare up basically became permanent.

I spent most of 2020 with headaches, neck and shoulder pain, jaw pain and locking, poor sleep. I managed the pain with ibuprofen, ibuprofen gel, heat pads, magnesium supplements, yoga and Pilates. But I was often miserable with it, and couldn't open my mouth wide enough to eat some foods.

When lockdown eased in spring 2021 I went to a specialist dentist (I paid about £300 over the course of the year). He removed a wisdom tooth that was affecting my bite, referred me to a physio, and fitted me with a mouthguard to wear at night.

A year later, I am much improved. I now get a flare up every two months or so, with some minor joint clicking and headaches in between. I now manage my jaw by:

• massaging my jaw, cheeks and temples most days
• swimming and Pilates to help me relax and to relax my shoulders and neck. I often do five minute neck and shoulder yoga videos before bed
• using muscle ointments that contain CBD
• wearing my mouthguard
• doing CBT to manage my anxiety
• not drinking caffeine
• avoiding hard to eat foods like whole apples, baguette, burgers
• sleeping with my sore jaw resting on a heat pad

I have seen Botox heavily recommended on other forums, but I haven't gone that far yet.

Hey Op, I also get Botox for this in London, pm me for info x

[quote courtney251]@EmmaH2022 I got my mouth guard yesterday so last night was the first night sleeping with it. Did you find a doctor that specialises in tmj Botox to do it for you?

It's just really shitty and stressful. It's like a viscous cycle I'm getting tmj because I'm stressing and clenching but now I'm more stressed because of my tmj [/quote]
Yes, there's only one lady at the practice who does it.

She wants to use minimal dose and did three injections either side.

She also warned me about becoming resistant to it, not convinced everyone would do that.

Maybe see what the mouth guard does. It helps but apparently my case was pretty bad. I always have a relaxed upper body and good posture. I literally store all my tension in my jaw! Under extreme stress, I never have hunched shoulders, it's all in the jaw. Weird.

@Knitily thank you so much for your reply!

It's horrible isn't it. My jaw is constantly clicking and my whole face just aches. My doctor was not very helpful and said there not much he can help me with and have me my mouth guard. How long do your flares up last?

Can't wait to have a day where I don't feel so shitty x

@iholdgrudges hey! I'm trying to msg you but it's not giving me the option? X

My flare ups last 3-4 days now, and yeah I feel rubbish when they happen, not helped by how self conscious I feel of my swollen face.

I have spoken to medical professionals who have been dismissive - it's one of those things that sounds minor but can really impact your quality of life.

If this is any consolation, my dentist told me that if your jaw clicks it is a good sign, because it means the joint is moving rather than being locked, but it can be really disconcerting.

Just messaged you!

The only downside I’ve found to the Botox is when it wears off the pain feels so much worse, in that I didn’t really realise how much pain I was constantly in until it went away iyswim!

My flare ups are random, maybe once every couple of months but could be just one flare up or a few over the course of a few days depending on my stress levels!

Emmah- just out of interest, was the Botox expensive?

@iholdgrudges for some reason they won't let me access my msgs!!! I'm so sorry to be a nuisance but if you get the time could you email me the details [email protected] no worries if you can't xx

@Knitily it's horrible isn't it. I've had the flare up for like a month now and some days are better but it's always there I can't seem to feel 100 % going to try all the things to suggested xx

I had it. The pain was so severe. It lasted around a month maybe more. But I can tell you that I have never had another attack. This was 10 years ago.

I saw a physio,he was amazing ,also have me exercises to do at home.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor do you get flare ups often? I'm really struggling with this. I went and had acupuncture and a neck massage a couple weeks back and it help massively but it's too expensive to have regular treatment.

@Loginmystery really that's amazing! Bet that was a relief. Yeah it's making life pretty miserable x