TMJ please help

[LivelyCrab]

This has suddenly come out of the blue. I’ve been to doctors and dentist who both say Tmj. My cheek muscles feel tense and heavy, and I have a sharp pain my my left ear that shoots down my jaw and neck.

im trying to do all the advised things, soft food, limited talking, heat packs.

Im onto week 3 now and it doesn’t seem to be gettting any better. I feel so depressed.

You might need something to relax your muscles like diazepan. Doctors don't like prescribing but taking it for a short period of time might help.

Oh that sounds miserable. TMJ can flare up badly and it’s totally normal for it to take weeks (sometimes months) to calm down, even when you’re doing all the “right” things.
Keep up the soft food and heat, but also try to consciously relax your jaw/shoulders and watch for clenching during the day even small changes can help. If the pain’s not easing or it’s affecting your mood, go back to your GP and ask about physio or a referral to an oral/maxillofacial specialist.
It does get better for most people, but it can be a slow grind. Be kind to yourself and don’t hesitate to ask for extra support for the low mood too.

Thank you so much for relying. I have health anxiety too so have convinced myself it’s actually being caused by a tumor. Which obviously isn’t helping.

I’ve booked into have Accupuncture on Monday.

its reassuring to know it can take a few weeks, because I was panicking that it shouldn’t be going on this long.

You’re definitely not alone, health anxiety can make any pain feel 10x scarier. TMJ can absolutely last for weeks (sometimes months) while the muscles settle, especially if you’re stressed. Acupuncture, heat packs and gentle jaw stretches can all help. If anything changes or gets worse it’s always worth checking back with your doctor, but what you’re describing is really common for TMJ and not automatically a tumour. You’re doing the right things give it time and be kind to yourself.

Sorry to hear this - it can be really miserable. I found a lot of relief after using a mouth guard at night. I am on Nortriptyline too but have only just started this so not too sure about it's success yet. Have you tried a mouth guard? Highly recommend if not!

Someone recommended Botox for this which I tried and it’s worked very well. It has stopped all the pain I used to get in my jaw, neck and shoulders.

I live with it most of the time and it's hard. Mine got particularly worse recently after visiting the hygienist. These guys are good for exercises even though they seem a bit odd at first 😅. Osteopaths sometimes do work inside your mouth too.

Someone on mumsnet recommended a YouTube video with exercises for TMJ. It does work. I use it whenever mine flares up and it goes much quicker.

I’m at the start of my first flare up in a while, it absolutely can ache for weeks and weeks. Mine usually does.
Jaw Botox is the only thing that’s ever made a massive difference for me (I’ve had the problem for about 12 years and tried just about everything). But if it’s something you’d consider then definitely do your research first, it can alter your smile and make your bite feel a bit weird for a while. Stops the pain though!

also love the mention of Bob & Brad! I watch them and they’re fab.

Thanks everyone. Mumsnet can be so supportive.

I’ll do some of Bob and Brads exercises 🙂

I think it’s the sharp pain that’s really causing me the most upset. Just want it to settle down, as it’s really affecting my day to day now.

Oh I’m you OP! I had TMJ for months before I finally clenched so hard I cracked a tooth and had to seek help! I had massages and they were phenomenal! Highly recommend finding that - my dentist recommended someone

Sorry to hear that @Lifejigsaw glad you’ve found some relief though!

the dentist thinks I might have a structural issue as opposed to it being caused by teeth grinding.

i think it’s shocked me how it’s come out of nowhere (although I did have some twinges over the last few months). Never had anything like this before.

Im wondering if it could be peri related

LivelyCrab, I find this chap excellent. He has a range of videos but this is the one I currently do and find very helpful:

Get better soon x

I have tmj. I use a warm flannel to gently warm it up and then I rub in lavender in some carrier oil which I feel takes some of the pain and tension down.

Thank you all so much. Its really spiked my anxiety, worrying it’s something sinister.

im doing some exercises everyday, and using hot compresses. Dosing up on anti-inflammatories too.

Yes, I use this video too if I get a flare up. It really works.

I suffer with this and it can take a few days of diazepam to solve it when it’s really bad.

Check it Bob and Brad massage techniques on YouTube (you can do these yourself) and find a reputable osteopath.

Did you dentist sort a bite guard for you to sleep in?

Sorry should have read the full thread!!

I’ve had this and in addition to the soft food advice I was given exercises which I’m sure helped. As well as soft food I also used smaller cutlery which seems a bit weird but helped too. Took a while but it did get better eventually.

I’m picking up my soft mouth guard on Friday. Last night I tried to consciously sleep with my jaw very relaxed, almost hanging open and I’m feeling a bit of relief today, although too scared to speak to soon.

For those who’ve had it before, have you managed to just have the odd occasion? Or is this now it for life?

Thanks again to everyone for the tips and advice. I really appreciate it.

You will get better. I didn't know I had TMJD until I finally saw an ENT consultant, thinking it was my ear. But then I realised that all the 'flare ups' I'd been having - a feeling of pressure on the right side of my head, really bad headaches, sometimes nausea, a sore, full-feeling ear, and tinnitus, were in fact TMJD. I've been having trigger point massage, which really helps (and hurts like hell while it's being done), and I've been doing these exercises, and I feel so, so much better. I know it feels like it won't ever get better but hang on in there. Wishing you relief, and soon x

Mine is always a little tight, but I’m pretty anxious (being treated) at the moment. The mouth guard really helps so me, but it took a while to get used to. My osteopath said not to particularly avoid hard foods, but also, you could try singing in a choir. You have to keep your jaw relaxed to sing well so you learn to do it more naturally the rest of the time. If you don’t think you can sing there are plenty of community choirs where that’s not an issue.

Sorry to be confusing - mine isn't teeth grining it's TMJ caused by clenching my jaw from stress. But the massage as treatment is for any kind of TMJ and provides amazing relief!

A friend of mine had Botox for this. She only had one treatment and it broke the cycle for her. She raves about it. It was expensive like £500 if I remember rightly but it worked for her.

If you want it, make sure you go to a Dr not a beautician and look for one with experience in jaw botox for this problem because it need to be dosed properly and placed very accurately as the jaw muscles are very strong and are needed for chewing.