[Iria]

This is just a random question for anyone with knowledge about TMJ out there, or just anyone who has good advice for relieving pain.

I've had this horrible pain in the right side of my jaw for about a week. I went to the doctor and he put me on antibiotics, although he wasn't sure what was going on (I have a minor sinus infection, so we're seeing if it's related). I'm supposed to go back Monday if it still hurts. Right now it does.

I had jaw surgery four years ago (orthodontic), and I was afraid I had some sort of infection from that. The doctor thinks that's unlikely, but he did ask if I had TMJ. I don't, and said so, but now I'm kind of worried that that is exactly what I do have.

I completely forgot until last night about these episodes I get where the right side of my jaw (the one that hurts now) kind of snaps. It usually happens when I'm eating, and I'll be unable to chew without pain or open my mouth wider than two finger-lengths for about an hour. I've always attributed it to my old surgery, and never worried too much because it goes away.

I looked up TMJ syndromes online just now and found that ear fullness/pain is another sign. My right ear has felt full for almost four years, and it always hurts when I'm sick. I also saw some pictures of people with locked jaws, and they tend to list to a certain direction. When my pain gets really bad or I have one of the episodes described above, my jaw lists to the left.

Does this sound like TMJ to anyone? I'm kind of worried now, especially because I'm at school and I don't have the time or a vehicle to go to medical appointments. On the other hand, I can't afford for this pain, whatever it is, to linger because it's distracting me from my studies.

 

[karenlovessnow]

My jaw makes clicking sounds when I open my mouth and it used to get 'stuck' occasionally. I started getting jaw and head pain. My dentist sent me to a specialist. He said I did not have TMJ but that I was clenching/grinding my teeth in my sleep. He gave me a night guard to wear when I sleep and the pain went away. You should get it checked out.

 

[anatta]

I've got TMD, and what you're describing sounds a lot like it. I don't want to make any false diagnosis, of course, but the "snapping" or "clicking"(especially while eating) is textbook.

What happens for me is I can never open it fully without it clicking in between, like it's switching gears. If yours is stopping completely, I don't know why it would be relatively fine at other times. Are you getting any swelling or inflamation(or feeling like it is swollen or inflamed)?

It can affect your posture and balance as well, which is what the listing is about. Like with karen, my dentist gave me a guard - one to wear at night,a dn one to wear during the day. Something about "bio feedback". The thing is, the longer you let this persist(no matter WHAT it is), the worse it's going to get. If it's TMD, it will deteriorate. The later it's caught, the more extensive the "repairs" tend to need to be. Again, none of us on here can diagnose you, but it sounds like something you need to get looked at.

 

[ynaffit]

Yes, I have a TMJ disorder and that's what started happening to me before my jaw got stuck for months.

 

[Iria]

I always thought TMJ was something you were born with, and that the only symptom was a locking jaw. As soon as I heard that it comes on gradually, I got pretty worried.

I'm going to my campus doctor Monday. He said he'll do an X-Ray then if I'm still having problems. I don't really want to see a specialist here (the closest one is probably an hour away and I don't have a car), but I'm going to make an appointment with my oral surgeon back home for around Thanksgiving. I hate waiting that long, but I'm not sure what else to do. Do you all think this warrants an emergency trip home?

I'll update you with what the doctor says Monday.

 

[Iria]

Just in case anyone was wondering, my campus doctor and I decided to let my oral surgeon at home take care of it. That won't happen until November, unfortunately. The pain has gone down some, but now the other side is starting to hurt as well. If it gets unbearable before then I guess I'll go home (and owe my parents some huge favors) but otherwise I'll try and wait it out.

What is the best remedy for this type of pain? Applying heat to the sore area?

 

[sunshinegal]

Iria,

I was diagnosed with a disorder of the TMJ joint and so I wear what they call a splint at night (it is like a mouth peace that was molded and fits onto my top teeth). I had to follow a regiment to get the pain down. Basically chew alot less. eat soft foods or drink meals for two weeks. Take ibuprofen every 4-6 hours during these two weeks. Also apply heat twice a day to both sides of the jaw and the move your jaw around while it was warm. I would move it side to side, taking my time and stretching it out.

The jaw splint I wear each night does the best job. It wasnt cheap but worth it. If I dont wear it I grind my teeth, clench my jaw and basically wreck my mouth.

Good luck to you, I hope that this helps.

 

[Iria]

Just thought I'd give an update:

I finally saw my oral surgeon at home. My problem is that the little ball joint in the jaw goes too far when I open my mouth and it pops over the bump in the bone. The doctor says it's not likely to cause any other problems like my jaw completely locking. The instances where I do have pain are caused by the ligaments getting stretched when that joint pops forward. I have to follow the regimen Sunshinegal described when I have flare-ups, but otherwise no treatment.

So basically I just spent a lot of money to get told there's nothing really wrong with me.

At least there is nothing serious wrong, anyway. One jaw surgery was more than enough.

 

[karenlovessnow]

Glad to hear you got it sorted out!

 

[ChiKat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by karenlovessnow

My jaw makes clicking sounds when I open my mouth and it used to get 'stuck' occasionally. I started getting jaw and head pain. My dentist sent me to a specialist. He said I did not have TMJ but that I was clenching/grinding my teeth in my sleep. He gave me a night guard to wear when I sleep and the pain went away. You should get it checked out.

That's what happened to my sister. She's 12 years old and she had to go to a specialist because her jaw hurt so much that she had trouble chewing.

They gave her the night guard and, like you, her pain went away completely

 

[soilman]

"he right side of my jaw (the one that hurts now) kind of snaps."

Yes this sound like tmj. Your story indicates that very likely it was iatrogenic -- your orthodontist's planning and execution caused it. More orthodontia, this time done properly, may now be something you are stuck with having to have, for the rest of your life.

TMJ syndrome can sometimes be very hard to treat.

"I've had this horrible pain in the right side of my jaw for about a week. I went to the doctor and he put me on antibiotics, although he wasn't sure what was going on (I have a minor sinus infection, so we're seeing if it's related)."

This is bad news. If your doctor is not sure, and there is no reason to believe the condition is life-threatening or threatening to cause permanent damage if left untreated, putting you on antibiotics is an idiotic idea. If you have a sinus infection, get to an otolaryngologists. Most pcp's are going to waste your time, or worse. If you have tmj you need a consult with dentist that specializes in it. It is very often caused by poor dental occlusion (the way your upper teeth and lowers interact). It can be treated by bite adapters that fit over your teeth and allow them to meet differently or allow your mandible to just slide into a better positon, resurfacing teeth with grinding and-or resin surfacing, and-or cap, onlays, inlays etc, as well as by orthodontia.

Getting the tmj's to function well is more complicated than any other pair of joints because they are the only pair that have their distal end fused together (at the suture line of the mandible). Are hands can move separately. Our feet. Even our individual spinal segments retain a lot of their individuality. But the L and the R tmj are each tied to the movements of the other - meaning you have to think about each of them together; you can't view them as 2 different joint problems.

 

[soilman]

"I finally saw my oral surgeon at home. My problem is that the little ball joint in the jaw goes too far when I open my mouth and it pops over the bump in the bone. The doctor says it's not likely to cause any other problems like my jaw completely locking. The instances where I do have pain are caused by the ligaments getting stretched when that joint pops forward. I have to follow the regimen Sunshinegal described when I have flare-ups, but otherwise no treatment."

Translation: you have tmj syndrome. The little ball joint in your "jaw" is your tmj -- your temporo-mandibular joint.

"So basically I just spent a lot of money to get told there's nothing really wrong with me. At least there is nothing serious wrong, anyway. One jaw surgery was more than enough. "

Well, you wasted money on the antibiotics doctor and the antibiotics. (By the way, sinus infections are often had to treat with antibiotics and may need high levels of antibiotics and very careful monitoring of their effects-side-effects, and then might not work any way). Doctors are reluctant to tell you anything from which you can logically deduce that perhaps another doctor did something less than well. If your jaw surgeon totally botched your dental occlusion and jaw articulation, another doctor is unlikely to tell you just how badly it was botched, unless their was absolutely no question it was botched, and even then doctors will be very cautious about saying anything that might posibly lead you to believe that another doctor did something not well.

A device that allows your mandilbe to articulate more comfortable could indeed help - but only if the L-R alignment between the 2 joints isn't badly off. This kind of device can help if you dental occlusion prevents your lower from moving forward into a comfortable position (the F-R alignment is off), but the L-R the alignment is ok.

Orthodontists often caused poor f-r alignment when they over-agressively move the maxillary teeth rearward, but don't move the lowers quite as far. It can be very hard to tell the "placebo affect" causes problems here. Explanation: because the patient wants to please the doctor, he tends to "inform" the doctor that the lower is in a comfortable position, when in reality it is not. The chewing muscles will actually adopt a tonus, and the jaws a tonic position, that it later finds hard to maintain.

 

[starseed13]

I have severe tmj, so bad my jaw joints are like, disinegrated because of it. My jaw doesnt fit together properly anymore at all, and it falls out of the socket if I open my mouth too wide. It SUCKS. All I recommend is taking glucosamine complex (warning, I dont think its vegan) to help rebuild the joints and using a night guard (something I dont actually do, they always bother me and keep me awake). BUt use it if you can. TMJ is a nightmare. Mine started after my bite got knocked offset by a severe head injury I got when I was ten. I remember my jaw locking afterwards and it scared me to death.