Flap
11-29-2003, 11:36 PM
Hello, I am new here, but I hope my personal experience helps someone.
I have a big head, and also heartburn when I sleep. I was told to raise my headboard 4-6 inches so my stomach contents would tend to stay down.
After awhile I started getting TMJ, with a swollen jaw and knife like pains. Constant pain.
I came back from vacation and noticed my TMJ had greatly deminished but it started up almost the next day.
I lowered my bed back to flat, got rid of my extra pillow and am not suffering any more.
I think my head would roll to one side while I slept and pinch a nerve.
I hope this may help at least one person.... Flap
I have a big head, and also heartburn when I sleep. I was told to raise my headboard 4-6 inches so my stomach contents would tend to stay down.
After awhile I started getting TMJ, with a swollen jaw and knife like pains. Constant pain.
I came back from vacation and noticed my TMJ had greatly deminished but it started up almost the next day.
I lowered my bed back to flat, got rid of my extra pillow and am not suffering any more.
I think my head would roll to one side while I slept and pinch a nerve.
I hope this may help at least one person.... Flap
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Isobelj
11-30-2003, 04:11 PM
Thanks for posting this. It's interesting and confirming to read, because I was on verge of getting a new and fatter pillow as I thought it would help my aches and pains, however the maxillo facial surgeon I'm now seeing asked in my first app. what kind of pillow I use and how I sleep, he said too a thin pillow is best, partic. if you sleep with your jaw on the pillow as I do and not on your back.
Isobel
Isobel
wadexyz
11-30-2003, 09:50 PM
Interesting. I also have raised my bed a few inches. I didn't think this could possibly effect TMJ, but who knows. The fat pillow, I can see why that would be a problem. But from a theoretical point of view, why would having your bed on a slight angle make any difference?
Thanks for the post.
Thanks for the post.
Flap
11-30-2003, 10:22 PM
Interesting. I also have raised my bed a few inches. I didn't think this could possibly effect TMJ, but who knows. The fat pillow, I can see why that would be a problem. But from a theoretical point of view, why would having your bed on a slight angle make any difference?
Thanks for the post.
Under the left side of my jaw, where the pain was, I can manipulate a small lump. I've saw several doctors and dentists and one said it might be a submandibular nerve center. This makes sense because everytime I push on it it bothers me later. Anyway I hope you all find relief from what ever treatment works....Flap
Thanks for the post.
Under the left side of my jaw, where the pain was, I can manipulate a small lump. I've saw several doctors and dentists and one said it might be a submandibular nerve center. This makes sense because everytime I push on it it bothers me later. Anyway I hope you all find relief from what ever treatment works....Flap
Flap
11-30-2003, 10:58 PM
Under the left side of my jaw, where the pain was, I can manipulate a small lump. I've saw several doctors and dentists and one said it might be a submandibular nerve center. This makes sense because everytime I push on it it bothers me later. Anyway I hope you all find relief from what ever treatment works....Flap
I just wanted to add where this small lump is. If you feel your jaw bone under your ear, where it curves, and go about I/3 the distance to your chin you should find a little v shaped indentation in the bone. The lump I feel is under my chin (but definitely out as an abscess) and I think it pushes against the jaw bone if my head is crooked. The right side of my jaw has the same lump but is harder to reach as it is higher under the jaw.
I suffered constantly for a year but finally found relief.
I just wanted to add where this small lump is. If you feel your jaw bone under your ear, where it curves, and go about I/3 the distance to your chin you should find a little v shaped indentation in the bone. The lump I feel is under my chin (but definitely out as an abscess) and I think it pushes against the jaw bone if my head is crooked. The right side of my jaw has the same lump but is harder to reach as it is higher under the jaw.
I suffered constantly for a year but finally found relief.
wadexyz
12-01-2003, 03:16 PM
I also have some 'asymetry' in my jaw when I feel with my fingers. It's fairly different than your problem though. Mine feels more like a muscle out of place on my left side, right where the jaw bone begins by the ear. It's like the muscle bulges out too close to the skin as compared to the other pain-free side.
It's weird how these 'medical professionals' are so useless (and generally unwilling) to look at problems they might not have seen before. What happened to doctors that feel with their hands?? I don't know what kind of doctor/dentist/therapist could at least tell me what this muscle (i think it's a muscle?) is. They just nod and give you anti-depressants.
It's weird how these 'medical professionals' are so useless (and generally unwilling) to look at problems they might not have seen before. What happened to doctors that feel with their hands?? I don't know what kind of doctor/dentist/therapist could at least tell me what this muscle (i think it's a muscle?) is. They just nod and give you anti-depressants.
delilah1963
12-01-2003, 04:00 PM
to describe to my doctor(s)...this bulging of soft tissue from the jaw bone right near the base of my ear. It used to be just on the right side...when I would stretch to the left and push lightly on it, I could actually hear a muffled popping, like listening to "baby" bubblewrap pop with earplugs in. One day, it hurt when I pushed it...sharp pain...so I stopped -- LOL. Now it does it on the left side! I feel like I am going crazy. One of my doctors said it was my lymph nodes and that scared the crudola out of me.
I had a CT scan done and it showed...
"soft tissue prominence may be due to unusual lobulation and a variant of prominent sternomastoid muscle bands."
Well, OK. The sternomastoid muscles. But something is causing them to go funky on me. The dentist (prosthodontist actually) that was recommended to me and provided my splint therapy says my jaw is opening and closing correctly, but I still have all this muscle pain.
My next step would be an epidural in my neck to hopefully loosen these spasms. I feel as though I'm in an episode of Mission Impossible and that is really is. :-(
Is this anything similar to your experience with your soft tissue on the left side?
I had a CT scan done and it showed...
"soft tissue prominence may be due to unusual lobulation and a variant of prominent sternomastoid muscle bands."
Well, OK. The sternomastoid muscles. But something is causing them to go funky on me. The dentist (prosthodontist actually) that was recommended to me and provided my splint therapy says my jaw is opening and closing correctly, but I still have all this muscle pain.
My next step would be an epidural in my neck to hopefully loosen these spasms. I feel as though I'm in an episode of Mission Impossible and that is really is. :-(
Is this anything similar to your experience with your soft tissue on the left side?
Flap
12-01-2003, 08:00 PM
to describe to my doctor(s)...this bulging of soft tissue from the jaw bone right near the base of my ear. It used to be just on the right side...when I would stretch to the left and push lightly on it, I could actually hear a muffled popping, like listening to "baby" bubblewrap pop with earplugs in. One day, it hurt when I pushed it...sharp pain...so I stopped -- LOL. Now it does it on the left side! I feel like I am going crazy. One of my doctors said it was my lymph nodes and that scared the crudola out of me.
I had a CT scan done and it showed...
"soft tissue prominence may be due to unusual lobulation and a variant of prominent sternomastoid muscle bands."
Well, OK. The sternomastoid muscles. But something is causing them to go funky on me. The dentist (prosthodontist actually) that was recommended to me and provided my splint therapy says my jaw is opening and closing correctly, but I still have all this muscle pain.
My next step would be an epidural in my neck to hopefully loosen these spasms. I feel as though I'm in an episode of Mission Impossible and that is really is. :-(
Is this anything similar to your experience with your soft tissue on the left side?
I think the small lump under my jaw (about the size of a pea) is a bundle of nerves that would get pinched while sleeping when my head rolled to far to one side.
Thus I found a flat bed and smaller pillow gave me great relief after just a few nights.
I just hope this might help someone.
I had a CT scan done and it showed...
"soft tissue prominence may be due to unusual lobulation and a variant of prominent sternomastoid muscle bands."
Well, OK. The sternomastoid muscles. But something is causing them to go funky on me. The dentist (prosthodontist actually) that was recommended to me and provided my splint therapy says my jaw is opening and closing correctly, but I still have all this muscle pain.
My next step would be an epidural in my neck to hopefully loosen these spasms. I feel as though I'm in an episode of Mission Impossible and that is really is. :-(
Is this anything similar to your experience with your soft tissue on the left side?
I think the small lump under my jaw (about the size of a pea) is a bundle of nerves that would get pinched while sleeping when my head rolled to far to one side.
Thus I found a flat bed and smaller pillow gave me great relief after just a few nights.
I just hope this might help someone.
spacenut99
12-18-2003, 09:16 PM
That is weird because my maxillo surgeon said to sleep with two pillows so that my head is elevated. He says its so that i don't roll over and sleep on my stomach and don't lie on my jaw and put pressure on it. Why did your doctors tell you guys to lie flat? I'm curious to know because personally my back hurts to sleep with my neck so high up.
Lisa
Lisa
Cymy Sue
12-19-2003, 08:25 AM
Hi Lisa,
Sleeping on your stomach is terribly bad for people with TMJ problems.
I've been told for years by Chiro's to Neurosurgeons to sleep on a very flat pillow and on my back. If you have a tendency to turn, put a pillow on either side.
I was able to learn to sleep on my back and as flat as possible for many years.
It does help with neck, back and TMJ problems. It also can help your posture.
Cymy Sue
Sleeping on your stomach is terribly bad for people with TMJ problems.
I've been told for years by Chiro's to Neurosurgeons to sleep on a very flat pillow and on my back. If you have a tendency to turn, put a pillow on either side.
I was able to learn to sleep on my back and as flat as possible for many years.
It does help with neck, back and TMJ problems. It also can help your posture.
Cymy Sue
spacenut99
12-19-2003, 11:45 PM
Thanks for the info Cymy Sue. I'll give that a try for the next couple of nights and see if there is any improvement.