kat721
04-24-2003, 03:06 PM
:wave: Hi yall,
I've been out looking for answers to my chronically spastic jaw that the maxillofacial surgeon said was not TMJ even though my jaw kept pushing over to the side and locking.
The maxillofacial surgeon suggested that I should be fitted for one of those mouth splints to the tune of 500.00 not covered by insurance.
Well, I haven't done that and in the mean time I went to the pain management doctor who did a better physical examination than the maxillofacial surgeon, the Physical Medicine Doctor or the Neurologist.
Her opinion is that I've got slight TMJ coupled with spastic muscles and that from the slight wear she could see, I've probably started gringing my teeth since this whole pain in the jaw mess has been going on since OCTOBER!!!!
So she suggested to go back on the low dose of Elavil for pain and to forget about the splint and go get one of those 30.00 mouth pieces they use for scuba regulators.
Brilliant idea.
It's was her opinion that 500.00 for a splint was financial torture and I didn't need the stress on top of my already tired of hurting mood.
She also prescrbed Lidocaine for me to squirt up my nose when I'm having a bout with pain.
And I was also given two antispasmodics.
So it's now a few days later and my jaw feels a whole lot better and I haven't even made it to the Dive shop yet. I'll probably do that this weekend.
So finally i am hopeful.
The pain doctor wants me to see the new neurologist because she has also decided that I have migraines with neurological symptoms and she doesn't really do headaches.
Anyone have any thoughts?
I would like to get some feed back so I might have some good questions to present to the new neurologist because I don't think that I communcated very well to the 1st Neurologist. My MRI mainly shows migraine activity.
kat
I've been out looking for answers to my chronically spastic jaw that the maxillofacial surgeon said was not TMJ even though my jaw kept pushing over to the side and locking.
The maxillofacial surgeon suggested that I should be fitted for one of those mouth splints to the tune of 500.00 not covered by insurance.
Well, I haven't done that and in the mean time I went to the pain management doctor who did a better physical examination than the maxillofacial surgeon, the Physical Medicine Doctor or the Neurologist.
Her opinion is that I've got slight TMJ coupled with spastic muscles and that from the slight wear she could see, I've probably started gringing my teeth since this whole pain in the jaw mess has been going on since OCTOBER!!!!
So she suggested to go back on the low dose of Elavil for pain and to forget about the splint and go get one of those 30.00 mouth pieces they use for scuba regulators.
Brilliant idea.
It's was her opinion that 500.00 for a splint was financial torture and I didn't need the stress on top of my already tired of hurting mood.
She also prescrbed Lidocaine for me to squirt up my nose when I'm having a bout with pain.
And I was also given two antispasmodics.
So it's now a few days later and my jaw feels a whole lot better and I haven't even made it to the Dive shop yet. I'll probably do that this weekend.
So finally i am hopeful.
The pain doctor wants me to see the new neurologist because she has also decided that I have migraines with neurological symptoms and she doesn't really do headaches.
Anyone have any thoughts?
I would like to get some feed back so I might have some good questions to present to the new neurologist because I don't think that I communcated very well to the 1st Neurologist. My MRI mainly shows migraine activity.
kat
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SCarpenter333
04-24-2003, 11:00 PM
Hey Kat,
If you take that doctors advise and get an over the counter mouth gard and just live off those meds...
See ya back here in a year when you want to put your head through the wall because you are in so much pain.
sorry I am very bitter. I've spent 700.00 and still very much in pain. Make sure you research this more and go to the right person. I am just so suprised at what she told you... Keep reading here, and do some more research online, and you will understand what I mean.
Shelly
If you take that doctors advise and get an over the counter mouth gard and just live off those meds...
See ya back here in a year when you want to put your head through the wall because you are in so much pain.
sorry I am very bitter. I've spent 700.00 and still very much in pain. Make sure you research this more and go to the right person. I am just so suprised at what she told you... Keep reading here, and do some more research online, and you will understand what I mean.
Shelly
kat721
04-26-2003, 12:25 AM
Shelly, I really appreciate your thoughts and experience. I feel like putting my head through the wall often enough and I sure don't want to fly off and do something stupid and give myself yet another problem.
I'll probably work with the med some but wait on either the splint or the OTC mouthpiece.
I have one of those mouth pieces for my diving gear.
It's nice because it lets my mouth rest underwater.
But under water is totally different than sleeping on ones back and being unconscious and doing who knows what with my mouth because I'm checked out to dream land.
It's frustrating.
I'll be seeing a new Neurolgist Monday. I have heard that he's a really good diagnostician. So I will
hope and pray he has some better answers.
Thanks again for your thoughts.
That's helpful.
kat
I'll probably work with the med some but wait on either the splint or the OTC mouthpiece.
I have one of those mouth pieces for my diving gear.
It's nice because it lets my mouth rest underwater.
But under water is totally different than sleeping on ones back and being unconscious and doing who knows what with my mouth because I'm checked out to dream land.
It's frustrating.
I'll be seeing a new Neurolgist Monday. I have heard that he's a really good diagnostician. So I will
hope and pray he has some better answers.
Thanks again for your thoughts.
That's helpful.
kat
SCarpenter333
04-26-2003, 10:30 PM
Hey Kat,
Sorry I didn't answer sooner, also sorry for being so blunt. If I were you, I would read on this board, and try to find a good TMJD Specialist. Please remember that a TMJ Specialist can be a dentist that went to a weekend seminar and received a piece of paper to say he is a specialist. It is not controlled by the ADA. You may want to call your doctor and dentist and ask them who they would recommend as a TMJ specialist in your area. Anyway, please dont buy the OTC mouth gard. It's worthless, and will even say on the package not to use it if you have TMJ or your jaw makes noises. Anyway, get yourself evaluated, and get a second opinion after that.
Please keep me updated.
Shelly
Sorry I didn't answer sooner, also sorry for being so blunt. If I were you, I would read on this board, and try to find a good TMJD Specialist. Please remember that a TMJ Specialist can be a dentist that went to a weekend seminar and received a piece of paper to say he is a specialist. It is not controlled by the ADA. You may want to call your doctor and dentist and ask them who they would recommend as a TMJ specialist in your area. Anyway, please dont buy the OTC mouth gard. It's worthless, and will even say on the package not to use it if you have TMJ or your jaw makes noises. Anyway, get yourself evaluated, and get a second opinion after that.
Please keep me updated.
Shelly
TiffanyAnn
04-26-2003, 11:13 PM
Hi Kat:
Just my personal opinion but if it were me I'd forget ANY over the counter splint. The reason being this: Any splint which does not fit properly causes more problems than doing nothing. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/t_down.gif I don't know about you but I already have enough pain without adding more. I agree that $500.00 is alot of money but the first splint I got in about 1993 cost me $600.00 so maybe it's not so much. But any way that's just my two cents worth. Good luck.
Tiffany
Just my personal opinion but if it were me I'd forget ANY over the counter splint. The reason being this: Any splint which does not fit properly causes more problems than doing nothing. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/t_down.gif I don't know about you but I already have enough pain without adding more. I agree that $500.00 is alot of money but the first splint I got in about 1993 cost me $600.00 so maybe it's not so much. But any way that's just my two cents worth. Good luck.
Tiffany