J-man
07-25-2003, 01:36 PM
Hi everyone,
I have a question which I would be interesting in getting feedback on. Here it is : "How you do know whether the symptoms you are having with your Tmj condition are a sign of something 'good' happening or something 'bad' happening ?
I know that generally speaking, pain, discomfort, and clicking are bad signs, but are there times when they can be signs of healing, rather than signs that your condition is getting worse? Is it possible for pain to sometimes be a sign that healing is taking place ? Of course in most instances, this would be a result of you having done something to start the healing process (eg started using a splint which makes your muscles, joints, etc more comfortable).
The main reason I'm thinking that pain might sometimes accompany healing, is that with a Tmj problem, there is often damage to the joints, and as a result 'muscle splinting' takes place. Muscle splinting means that muscles go into spasm, in your body's attempt to prevent injured joints from continuing to injure themselves further. But it seems like if your jaws are restricted to a more limited range of motion for a long period of time, and then healing begins to take place, (through a splint etc), then this would mean that suddenly your muscles, joints etc, would be expected to do things which they haven't been asked to do for a while. It seems like in that sort of situation they would react by saying, 'woah, I haven't had to do this sort of thing for a while'. This is similar to how people who have experienced broken limbs etc, might encounter pain, fatigue etc, as they engage in the process of rehabilitating their unused body parts back to health.
There's something else I'm wondering about as well. In talking to a dentist recently, he reminded me that the typical progression of symptoms for Tmj patients, as their condition becomes worse, is from having no joint sounds, to joint clicking, and eventually back to having no joint sounds, as the jaw joints become more damaged.
So my question is this, if you reverse the process, and go from badly damaged jaw joints, to jaw joints which are functioning fairly well, as you receive treatment, does this mean that it would be fair to expect jaw clicking once again...rather than few joint sounds ?
I'd be interested in what other people think about these ideas. I'm wondering if it might be helpful to know whether or not a certain degree of pain and joint sounds are normal and to be expected, after treatment/healing starts to take place.
Have a great day and God bless !
John
[This message has been edited by J-man (edited 07-25-2003).]
I have a question which I would be interesting in getting feedback on. Here it is : "How you do know whether the symptoms you are having with your Tmj condition are a sign of something 'good' happening or something 'bad' happening ?
I know that generally speaking, pain, discomfort, and clicking are bad signs, but are there times when they can be signs of healing, rather than signs that your condition is getting worse? Is it possible for pain to sometimes be a sign that healing is taking place ? Of course in most instances, this would be a result of you having done something to start the healing process (eg started using a splint which makes your muscles, joints, etc more comfortable).
The main reason I'm thinking that pain might sometimes accompany healing, is that with a Tmj problem, there is often damage to the joints, and as a result 'muscle splinting' takes place. Muscle splinting means that muscles go into spasm, in your body's attempt to prevent injured joints from continuing to injure themselves further. But it seems like if your jaws are restricted to a more limited range of motion for a long period of time, and then healing begins to take place, (through a splint etc), then this would mean that suddenly your muscles, joints etc, would be expected to do things which they haven't been asked to do for a while. It seems like in that sort of situation they would react by saying, 'woah, I haven't had to do this sort of thing for a while'. This is similar to how people who have experienced broken limbs etc, might encounter pain, fatigue etc, as they engage in the process of rehabilitating their unused body parts back to health.
There's something else I'm wondering about as well. In talking to a dentist recently, he reminded me that the typical progression of symptoms for Tmj patients, as their condition becomes worse, is from having no joint sounds, to joint clicking, and eventually back to having no joint sounds, as the jaw joints become more damaged.
So my question is this, if you reverse the process, and go from badly damaged jaw joints, to jaw joints which are functioning fairly well, as you receive treatment, does this mean that it would be fair to expect jaw clicking once again...rather than few joint sounds ?
I'd be interested in what other people think about these ideas. I'm wondering if it might be helpful to know whether or not a certain degree of pain and joint sounds are normal and to be expected, after treatment/healing starts to take place.
Have a great day and God bless !
John
[This message has been edited by J-man (edited 07-25-2003).]
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crystalll
07-27-2003, 12:41 AM
Hi John,
Those are really good questions! I've been wondering the same thing myself.
When I first began splint therapy my clicking totally disappeared. At first we thought this was good news, but then we realized that my right disc had most likely slipped sideways, completely out of the joint.
Now, recently I've just had my splint adjusted for the umpteenth time, and I'm starting to notice a slight clicking in my joint occasionally. I've also started to experience a strange twitch on the right side of my head. I'm wondering if this could be a sign of improvement, but I'm too afraid to contact my specialist for fear that I'm wrong. :)
I think I'll wait and see....
So how are things going with you?
Crystal
Those are really good questions! I've been wondering the same thing myself.
When I first began splint therapy my clicking totally disappeared. At first we thought this was good news, but then we realized that my right disc had most likely slipped sideways, completely out of the joint.
Now, recently I've just had my splint adjusted for the umpteenth time, and I'm starting to notice a slight clicking in my joint occasionally. I've also started to experience a strange twitch on the right side of my head. I'm wondering if this could be a sign of improvement, but I'm too afraid to contact my specialist for fear that I'm wrong. :)
I think I'll wait and see....
So how are things going with you?
Crystal
janey
07-27-2003, 03:55 PM
Hi, I just wanted to know all the symtoms of TMJ. I'm going to go to my dentist soon. I've always had a clicking when I open my mouth. Not painful, but at times I feel my teeth are being pressed together. Any thoughts?
J-man
07-28-2003, 01:37 PM
Originally posted by crystalll:
Hi John,
Those are really good questions! I've been wondering the same thing myself.
When I first began splint therapy my clicking totally disappeared. At first we thought this was good news, but then we realized that my right disc had most likely slipped sideways, completely out of the joint.
Now, recently I've just had my splint adjusted for the umpteenth time, and I'm starting to notice a slight clicking in my joint occasionally. I've also started to experience a strange twitch on the right side of my head. I'm wondering if this could be a sign of improvement, but I'm too afraid to contact my specialist for fear that I'm wrong. :)
I think I'll wait and see....
So how are things going with you?
Crystal
Hi Crystal,
Great to hear from you ! You wrote about having your splint adjusted for the umpteenth time. Have you been getting some relief from your splint treatment ?
I have definitely had my splint adjusted a 'few times' as well. I've had it for about 6 months, and on average I'd say I've had it adjusted somewhere between every 2-3 weeks. For the most part it provides me relief every time after I get it adjusted.
Recently I had been feeling more hopeful, since I was able to go for about 5 weeks after the last splint adjustment, so it looked like things were stabilizing more. However, then my dentist changed the splint. This was because I had mentioned that I would be interested in getting a second splint made (which had more dentition in it, to allow me to eat more easily with it). However my dentist, instead changed my current splint, and now I can no longer tolerate wearing it at all..yikes.
But the good news is that he is very patient with me and my condition and when I mentioned to him what had happened, he said that he would resurface my splint again. I know of another dentist (who has actually received training by your dentist, Dr. Rondeau) who would be willing to make me a splint that would be suitable for eating with.
Overall I've had experienced some definite improvement over these past 6 months, between using my tens device, and using this splint. I am hopeful. Thanks for asking Crystal ! Please share with us more about how things are going for you these days.
Take care and God bless !
John
Hi John,
Those are really good questions! I've been wondering the same thing myself.
When I first began splint therapy my clicking totally disappeared. At first we thought this was good news, but then we realized that my right disc had most likely slipped sideways, completely out of the joint.
Now, recently I've just had my splint adjusted for the umpteenth time, and I'm starting to notice a slight clicking in my joint occasionally. I've also started to experience a strange twitch on the right side of my head. I'm wondering if this could be a sign of improvement, but I'm too afraid to contact my specialist for fear that I'm wrong. :)
I think I'll wait and see....
So how are things going with you?
Crystal
Hi Crystal,
Great to hear from you ! You wrote about having your splint adjusted for the umpteenth time. Have you been getting some relief from your splint treatment ?
I have definitely had my splint adjusted a 'few times' as well. I've had it for about 6 months, and on average I'd say I've had it adjusted somewhere between every 2-3 weeks. For the most part it provides me relief every time after I get it adjusted.
Recently I had been feeling more hopeful, since I was able to go for about 5 weeks after the last splint adjustment, so it looked like things were stabilizing more. However, then my dentist changed the splint. This was because I had mentioned that I would be interested in getting a second splint made (which had more dentition in it, to allow me to eat more easily with it). However my dentist, instead changed my current splint, and now I can no longer tolerate wearing it at all..yikes.
But the good news is that he is very patient with me and my condition and when I mentioned to him what had happened, he said that he would resurface my splint again. I know of another dentist (who has actually received training by your dentist, Dr. Rondeau) who would be willing to make me a splint that would be suitable for eating with.
Overall I've had experienced some definite improvement over these past 6 months, between using my tens device, and using this splint. I am hopeful. Thanks for asking Crystal ! Please share with us more about how things are going for you these days.
Take care and God bless !
John