TMJ / TMD Making Life Miserable

[JustEatDust]

I've had this since being a teenager. Caused by clenching my jaw in my sleep, when concentrating and when stressed.

Had dental treatment over a year ago after seeing a consultant. He said I needed all treatment completing before they'd see me again, as dental treatment would affect my bite.
After chasing the referral and my doctor sending one too, I finally got through to be told that it was still waiting for all treatment to be completed. Someone had not progressed it to the next stage.

I am now back on a waiting list for an initial appointment. Which will determine any dental treatment needed. Then back on another waiting list for treatment.

Only after all that I will then go back on the list to see the consultant about my jaw.

In the meantime my jaw seems to be getting much worse. I've gone from medium strength cocdamol to the strongest the doctor can prescribe. Along with ibuprofen.

I'm barely sleeping and when I eat my jaw now clicks very loudly, where as before it only clicked when yawning or if I had hard food.

I just don't know what to do whilst waiting to see the consultant and I know that being on painkillers long term isn't the best.

Does anyone have this or has had it and found ways to cope? I have tried a bite guard in the past and this made it 10 times worse.

Thanks in advance.

I went to physio at the hospital who taught me exercises.. also the physio did acupuncture and l had that on the NHS.. it worked wonders.. now l go private every 3 months. . only thing that worked for me.

There was another thread about this a few days ago which might have some ideas on it. I have this really badly and am considering Botox as a temporary relief.

Sorry I did try and search but I must have messed it up. Please can you link the thread?

I've looked online at botox but I don't think it's something I can afford and no one local to me seems to offer it.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/general_health/4528486-tmj-jaw-pain?page=2&reply=129790672

but if you search for tmj it brings up lots more threads as well

Thank you I will look into botox a bit more.

I grind my teeth at night and I can’t open my jaw very much.

I used to go through phases of having lots of headaches due to clenching my jaw.

My then dentist said he actually had the same problem. When I went to see him he would do a stretching thing on a muscle in my jaw.

He would basically put his thumb into my upper jaw behind my wisdom teeth, and push/stretch it. If you do the same you will feel a band of tissue/muscle/tendon or ligament (sorry I don’t know what it is) But he would keep the pressure on for a while, sometimes it was very painful.

But immediately after that my jaw felt looser and my headaches would go. It would build up gradually again and back I’d go to see him.

He left his practice and moved away. I tried asking my next dentist if they did this, but they said no and hadn’t heard of it. I don’t know what the procedure was called, I try doing it on myself when it gets bad.

I also learnt Swedish Massage, so if I get any aches and pains I massage myself. I also read about Trigger point Therapy and will do this on the skin of my jaw and face.

Mine is like that. I can't open my jaw as wide as other people.
When I'm relaxed my jaw now automatically goes into a clench position. So I am constantly forcing it out of this position which is hard work.

They did say last time at the dental hospital that the plate or something is just past where the jaw joint should sit or something. So it doesn't move as it should.

Botox near me seems to be around £300 a go which I cannot afford.

Has you been to the doctor and tried Amitriptyline? Certainly worth trying while you’re waiting for the consultation, then ask for Botox and a Michigan splint.

Pink I do take that before bed 3 per night. I did try upping to 5 but the side effects were too much. I've been on the 3 for around 8 months now.

I have Botox in mine every six months, completely solves the problem.

Have you tried the jaw exercises?
They helped me

I did try some I itially that my doctor found on the Internet and printed off. It didn't really do much.

Can you please share which exercises help you?

I would give botox a try but I don't have 300 quid spare.

I saw an osteopath which helped.

It's flaring up again now. I think hormones have something to do with it too?

Have you looked on YouTube for massage and exercises? They're pretty good.

I'm so sick of this pain.

Maxed out on painkillers and it still hurts. I can't sleep or get comfy. So fed up.

Try googling
massaging/ relaxing lateral pterygoid muscle

OP I have the same problem

My dentist said there is a better mouth guard that actually realigns your jaw but he's a bit unsure so he's going to get back to me on that, tbh I am not really convinced.

I have had Botox when I was taking codeine for it - it was £250 and gave about 8 months relief. That appointment included a follow up where they would give extra if they thought it was needed. I was terrified of ending up with a droopy lip but I was desperate. Amitryptaline makes me feel ill.

If there is a way you can get it, including a loan or credit card, I'd say try it. The relief was immense.

Meanwhile, Bob and Brad are helpful for exercises for pain relief. They are very cheesy, you might have to laugh, if it's not too painful

What did the osteopath do please?

I bet that's less pricey than botox or a specialist mouth guard.

@EmmaEmerald
The mouthguard which realigns the jaw is called a Michigan Splint. If your dentist is not used to making them, then you won’t get a good result, don’t waste your money. Find someone who specialises. They are a highly technical piece of dental work!

This is exactly the thread I needed to read tonight. Thank you all for the info. Particularly which night guard I need to research 💐💐

Thank you
he's NHS so he wouldn't be doing it

do you have one, do you think it works?

I've heard people talk of spending £2k on mouthguards, it seems likely that might be it - and they said it didn't help. The other great thing about Botox is not wearing a nightguard!

It was more massage and exercises. You can do them yourself too. Look on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/@theTMJdoc?si=S7RW2W0DKYjRVvhW
TMJ doc

Thanks Incognito looks similar to Bob and Brad though.

I got offered Valium when I had 8 week old twins so clearly that wasn't going to be an option....

I couldn't afford a dentist mouth guard in mar leave so bought a teeth whitening kit from boots with a mouldable mouth guard, it lasted a couple of weeks before a I ground through it. Then got a rugby one. Wore it for a couple of weeks and the problem was gone, never came back.

To put it into context I couldn't eat properly could open my mouth less than a cm.