Anyone here ever experienced TMD?

[Shelly21]

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) occur as a result of problems with the jaw, jaw joint and surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and moving the jaw.

What Is the Temporomandibular Joint?

The temporomandibular joint is the hinge joint that connects the lower jaw (mandible) to the temporal bone of the skull, which is immediately in front of the ear on each side of your head. The joints are flexible, allowing the jaw to move smoothly up and down and side to side and enabling you to talk, chew, and yawn. Muscles attached to and surrounding the jaw joint control its position and movement.

I've went to the doctor already, and all I got was 15 anti-inflamatory pills that is not working. I'm going back there tomorrow.

I'm blaming this on stress at work and my new comfy bed.

Perhaps I should've went to my dentist in the first place, but I've almost hit my benifit limit for my dental plan. :\

 

[NuclearNed]

I have suffered from TMJ ever since I got braces in the fifth grade. Hooboy! That is some real pain and discomfort (at times). It seems like Tylenol helps alleviate the pain and swelling as much as anything.

 

[desertdweller]

My wife has problems with TMJ. The orthodontist wanted a few thousand to fix it with braces and
crap. She found out her chiropractor can reset her jaw when she gets an adjustment. It works for her.


DD

 

[DnetMHZ]

My GF has TMJ.. her jaw makes some pretty loud cracking sounds.

 

[Kev]

I had it really bad a few months ago. I literally could not open my mouth for extended periods of time. I took it easy and rested my jaw a lot, ate soft foods, and gently exercised opening my mouth every morning, and it has gotten much better.

Now there is just a little bit of tightness but it is manageable, and every once in awhile I wake up with my jaw clicking again but it goes away.

I've read that most TMD goes away in time (at least the severe pain shouldn't last too long)

 

[Shelly21]

I want a permanant solution. I'll even go to an oral surgeon. I can't deal with this pain when I open my mouth. I need to eat. :/

 

[Kev]

Oh and my doc gave me anti inflammatories too. Completely useless. I was on them for 2 weeks, it took about a month and a half for my severe symptoms to go away.

This is a really frustrating problem to have because there are so many proposed methods of treating it and noone knows for sure what the best way to do so is.

Just try eating soft foods for awhile, don't lean your head on your wrist, don't sleep on the side of your head, and don't have your teeth clenched together all day - try to leave space in between your back teeth. I'm no expert but it seemed to work for me.

 

[Kev]

How long has it been going on for?

 

[Amused]

TMJ is a great diet aide!!

Seriously, it sucks. I have a clicking jaw that sometimes causes pain unless I readjust it by opening wide it then moving it side to side. It cracks painfully, then feels fine for a few days until I have to readjust it again.

 

[Anubis]

Tuned Mass Damper? yea ive seen a few and even built one

 

[Shelly21]

Originally posted by: Kev
How long has it been going on for?

2 weeks?

TMJ is a great diet aide!!

Not for me, when I tried to eat a steak & eggs bagle this morning, I ignored my pain and finish it. Ouch.

 

[Fritzo]

Anyone here ever experienced TMD?

Testicles of Mass Destruction?


AAAAhhhhhhh, no.

 

[Kev]

Originally posted by: Shelly21

Originally posted by: Kev
How long has it been going on for?

2 weeks?

I wouldn't worry about it too much then. My mouth was clicking extremely loud for 4 months (you could hear it from across the room whenever I chewed) - I thought it was pretty funny.. little did I know...

Then my jaw had enough and locked for a few days, followed by the month and a half of extreme tightness and pain. I got use to the pain, and learned to relax it, and it eventually it improved.

Just try that first, and if it doesn't help after a few months go from there.

I wouldn't even consider surgery, from what I've read most times it either doesn't help at all or actually makes things worse.

 

[cquark]

Originally posted by: Shelly21
I want a permanant solution. I'll even go to an oral surgeon. I can't deal with this pain when I open my mouth. I need to eat. :/

TMD is caused by the muscles (and surrounding fascia) that move the jaw being in a continually partially contracted and tightened state. There are many possible causes. The recurrence rate of people who have had surgery to fix this is fairly high, as surgery only addresses a limited number of those causes. I'd suggest less dangerous measures first, like hot packs and deep tissue massage to relax the muscles that are causing the pain, relaxation techniques to learn to relax those muscles on your own, or a night guard to prevent you from clenching or grinding your teeth at night (which is one common cause of TMD.)

 

[FoBoT]

i was told i have this 20 years ago

except for occasional popping/noise, it has never really been a problem

until about 7-10 days ago

i woke up and could barely chew , it didn't hurt as long as i kept my lower jaw slack, but when i would try to bite down in the back/chew food, it hurt very badly


it has finally quit hurting, sometime yesterday or maybe last night. today/now i can bite and chew without pain

i was going to break down and see a doctor/dentist next week if it didn't quit/get better

i hope it doesn't happen again for a good long time

 

[yukichigai]

I get that from time to time, but never for long. I think it's because I talk too much.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

I have TMJ.

 

[SWScorch]

I have TMJ as well, stemming, I suppose, from my braces. My right jaw joint dislocates all the time and is never truly in place. It pops whenever I eat or yawn, but it usually doesn't hurt.