delilah1963
06-14-2004, 03:52 PM
After 2 years of chasing this TMJD, I'm no closer to a "cure", but I do feel I am closer to a "cope." My first splint (which I did not even realize was a repo splint--such a rookie then) failed miserably and put me in more pain. I thought after I got that puppy my recovery was only 8 weeks away. I've been around the block about 8 billion times since then. After about 2.5 weeks my face started going numb and I kept going back to what I will dub "Smarmy TMJ Doc" and telling him, "something is wrong, it puts me too far right and back." He would make me bite up and down, up and down, then rub my cheeks and say, "It is fine, my friend, fine." He then told me I had myofascial pain dysfunction, that my TMJs were in fine shape, and sent me on my way to PT. After 2 mos. of PT, I went back to him and he basically released me from his care, with my big old check in his bank account.
That entire experience made me splint shy and furious. I've searched locally and beyond for a TMJ specialist, and I've met some that may be able to help, or they may not. This is what really bothers me. I could be worse off than ever before. I am fortunate that I am not dire enough yet to take that chance. I feel as though most of my problem is muscular, due to an arthritic neck and clenching, but I know from an MRI there is some minor trauma to my TMJs.
For now, I have decided on a multi-disciplined approach. I had two cervical steroidal injections in my neck in Feb/Mar that helped for a while, along with an occipital nerve block (back base of my skull), which helped tremendously with neck/shoulder/headaches for about a month. Since the body can only take so much cortisone, I'm holding off as long as I can till another one.
I rec'd a custom made bite guard based on my natural bite(no repo this time) for clenching. I wear it at night and during the day when I am concentrating on something (my all time clenching trigger). I exercise on some level everyday. Walking, leg work, and lots of stretches throughout the day on neck, SCMs, etc. I use those rubber band thingys and do some v. light work with those for neck strength. I constantly check posture (30 min. pop up on my 'puter), stopped some bad habits (lip biting, cheek chewing). I try to keep my head up and back, and chin up (I'm a forward head person to due my kyphosis--forward curve of the spine). I pretend the back base of my head is resting on two tennis balls.
I ice everyday after work and heat at least once during the day at work.
I "talk" to my muscles. Especially neck and shoulder and coax them to stop riding up around my ears.
2x a week I go to a chiro, this includes: chiro adj. on neck, masseter muscle stripping, shoulder, SCM and other muscles (I can't remember their names) stripping too. The appt. also includes 10 min. massage around my neck, base of head, behind my ear, 10 min. of heat/e-stim, and 10 min. ultrasound (all the feel good stuff).
2x a week I go to an acupuncturist. He pins me with about 30 needles on my neck, face, jaw, head and throat, and then hooks me up to 3 sets of mini jumper cables and turns on microamps. It is uncomfortable at first, but I am asleep in 10 minutes. It is almost like an anesthetic.
I take a Vioxx a day, and a Valium at night. On worse days I take a Darvocet.
I am spending a fortune and it is time consuming, but nothing I'm doing is irreversible and I am functioning. I don't always feel great, but I feel better than I did. My headaches are better, and the spasms are too, though still present. Not as much spasm really, but constant muscle tightness like I am in a daily fight against atrophy.
Right now, it's keeping it manageable. It's been quite a learning experience, and a commitment.
Didn't really have a magic bullet for anyone, but for those with minor joint damage, these modalities can make life more bearable.
I lurk a lot to learn and keep you all in my heart.
Best,
Del.
That entire experience made me splint shy and furious. I've searched locally and beyond for a TMJ specialist, and I've met some that may be able to help, or they may not. This is what really bothers me. I could be worse off than ever before. I am fortunate that I am not dire enough yet to take that chance. I feel as though most of my problem is muscular, due to an arthritic neck and clenching, but I know from an MRI there is some minor trauma to my TMJs.
For now, I have decided on a multi-disciplined approach. I had two cervical steroidal injections in my neck in Feb/Mar that helped for a while, along with an occipital nerve block (back base of my skull), which helped tremendously with neck/shoulder/headaches for about a month. Since the body can only take so much cortisone, I'm holding off as long as I can till another one.
I rec'd a custom made bite guard based on my natural bite(no repo this time) for clenching. I wear it at night and during the day when I am concentrating on something (my all time clenching trigger). I exercise on some level everyday. Walking, leg work, and lots of stretches throughout the day on neck, SCMs, etc. I use those rubber band thingys and do some v. light work with those for neck strength. I constantly check posture (30 min. pop up on my 'puter), stopped some bad habits (lip biting, cheek chewing). I try to keep my head up and back, and chin up (I'm a forward head person to due my kyphosis--forward curve of the spine). I pretend the back base of my head is resting on two tennis balls.
I ice everyday after work and heat at least once during the day at work.
I "talk" to my muscles. Especially neck and shoulder and coax them to stop riding up around my ears.
2x a week I go to a chiro, this includes: chiro adj. on neck, masseter muscle stripping, shoulder, SCM and other muscles (I can't remember their names) stripping too. The appt. also includes 10 min. massage around my neck, base of head, behind my ear, 10 min. of heat/e-stim, and 10 min. ultrasound (all the feel good stuff).
2x a week I go to an acupuncturist. He pins me with about 30 needles on my neck, face, jaw, head and throat, and then hooks me up to 3 sets of mini jumper cables and turns on microamps. It is uncomfortable at first, but I am asleep in 10 minutes. It is almost like an anesthetic.
I take a Vioxx a day, and a Valium at night. On worse days I take a Darvocet.
I am spending a fortune and it is time consuming, but nothing I'm doing is irreversible and I am functioning. I don't always feel great, but I feel better than I did. My headaches are better, and the spasms are too, though still present. Not as much spasm really, but constant muscle tightness like I am in a daily fight against atrophy.
Right now, it's keeping it manageable. It's been quite a learning experience, and a commitment.
Didn't really have a magic bullet for anyone, but for those with minor joint damage, these modalities can make life more bearable.
I lurk a lot to learn and keep you all in my heart.
Best,
Del.
Sponsor
DebraL
06-15-2004, 09:00 AM
Would you explain more about the stretches for the SCMs and also what the chiropractor does for those and the masseter? Thanks.
delilah1963
06-15-2004, 10:57 AM
Hi Heidi and Debra,
As is typical, my insurance doesn't cover anything regarding the TM joints themselves. However, they will pay for neck pain and headaches, which is basically what is being treated on both the chiro and acupuncture end. My chiro coverage is crappy (10/year), but believe or not they consider acupuncture to be physical therapy and cover 90 VISITS A YEAR! Can you believe that? Having found a loophole, I'm using it, baby. Co-pays (epidurals, 4x/week doc visits), deductibles and another splint add up (even tho splint filed w/insurance under bruxism since it was not repositioning -- was only $250, and insurance covered 80%!)...it's been a drain financially this year, but at least it helps me have a more normal life and hasn't placed me in even further trouble. I hate to say it, but I'm assuming there will come a day when it will get worse, but I'm so once bitten, twice shy and my goal right now is to stay with reversible treatments.
The chiro does the masseter stripping like this. I'm laying on my back and he stands behind me and put his thumbs on my forehead and fingers just above my chinline and tells me to open my mouth slowly. While I do this, he applies some pressure to help stretch the muscle. It does help. You can do this yourself too by placing your opposite thumb inside your mouth at your top teeth (i.e., rt. thumb into left side of mouth) with your fingers on the outside of your cheek and squeeze and "strip" your fingers and thumb down the muscle. Keep in mind this can hurt pretty bad, but it does help to loosen it up. There are two books I have bought, one is called "Taking Control of TMJ" and one is the "Trigger Point Therapy Workbook"...both have good ideas for muscle work that you can even do yourself and changing other habits to assist you.
The SCM work is hard to do yourself I think, but basically someone "strips" (bearing down and pushing in a downward motion), the SCM from the ear to the collar bone. That's a screamer. I call it the Vulcan Death Grip. There is a very large nerve that runs along that path and it's apparent. My chiro does "the Vulcan Death Grip" SCM work and also strips muscles that go from the back of my ear down the back of my neck. I usually swear at him. :D
Those books I mentioned also give tips on all those muscles and how to help loosen them. While they didn't heal me, they helped me understand much more about the complexity of the muscle groups in that region.
I know so many others on this board suffer so much more than I have, and my heart hurts for you. Sorry I don't have something more inspiring, just hope that one day there will be standardized, non-invasive, INSURANCE COVERED treatment, performed by CERTIFIED doctors.
:o I guess I'm in a mood today with all my CAPS.
Take care,
Del.
As is typical, my insurance doesn't cover anything regarding the TM joints themselves. However, they will pay for neck pain and headaches, which is basically what is being treated on both the chiro and acupuncture end. My chiro coverage is crappy (10/year), but believe or not they consider acupuncture to be physical therapy and cover 90 VISITS A YEAR! Can you believe that? Having found a loophole, I'm using it, baby. Co-pays (epidurals, 4x/week doc visits), deductibles and another splint add up (even tho splint filed w/insurance under bruxism since it was not repositioning -- was only $250, and insurance covered 80%!)...it's been a drain financially this year, but at least it helps me have a more normal life and hasn't placed me in even further trouble. I hate to say it, but I'm assuming there will come a day when it will get worse, but I'm so once bitten, twice shy and my goal right now is to stay with reversible treatments.
The chiro does the masseter stripping like this. I'm laying on my back and he stands behind me and put his thumbs on my forehead and fingers just above my chinline and tells me to open my mouth slowly. While I do this, he applies some pressure to help stretch the muscle. It does help. You can do this yourself too by placing your opposite thumb inside your mouth at your top teeth (i.e., rt. thumb into left side of mouth) with your fingers on the outside of your cheek and squeeze and "strip" your fingers and thumb down the muscle. Keep in mind this can hurt pretty bad, but it does help to loosen it up. There are two books I have bought, one is called "Taking Control of TMJ" and one is the "Trigger Point Therapy Workbook"...both have good ideas for muscle work that you can even do yourself and changing other habits to assist you.
The SCM work is hard to do yourself I think, but basically someone "strips" (bearing down and pushing in a downward motion), the SCM from the ear to the collar bone. That's a screamer. I call it the Vulcan Death Grip. There is a very large nerve that runs along that path and it's apparent. My chiro does "the Vulcan Death Grip" SCM work and also strips muscles that go from the back of my ear down the back of my neck. I usually swear at him. :D
Those books I mentioned also give tips on all those muscles and how to help loosen them. While they didn't heal me, they helped me understand much more about the complexity of the muscle groups in that region.
I know so many others on this board suffer so much more than I have, and my heart hurts for you. Sorry I don't have something more inspiring, just hope that one day there will be standardized, non-invasive, INSURANCE COVERED treatment, performed by CERTIFIED doctors.
:o I guess I'm in a mood today with all my CAPS.
Take care,
Del.
westin4
06-15-2004, 11:10 AM
deliah,
Thanks for all the info! I love when people take the time to share their coping skills. You never know when someone will offer a tip that gives someone else much needed relief!!
I too have been around the block, back and around again!! UGH, it is very tiresome and expensive, isn't it?? But you have to keep on pursuing help so we can cope and just function. That has always been my goal, to function and to get over the most nasty symptoms. I have reckoned long ago that there is no "cure", no magic bullet, but there has to be help.
I am glad you have found some coping skills!! I cannot believe how there are so many loopholes witht he insurance, what there are aren't enough dentists who are willing to look for them or who just plain don't care enough to try and help save their patients any $$$$$$$$$$$$.
My dentist right now is designing a new splint and is going to use a titanium wire to that is used in partial plates, he said when using anything that creates a band across the teeth, it can be filed under "dentures and partials" which he said is 100% more lenient than tmj!
Thanks again and I am glad you have found some coping methods!
Karen
Thanks for all the info! I love when people take the time to share their coping skills. You never know when someone will offer a tip that gives someone else much needed relief!!
I too have been around the block, back and around again!! UGH, it is very tiresome and expensive, isn't it?? But you have to keep on pursuing help so we can cope and just function. That has always been my goal, to function and to get over the most nasty symptoms. I have reckoned long ago that there is no "cure", no magic bullet, but there has to be help.
I am glad you have found some coping skills!! I cannot believe how there are so many loopholes witht he insurance, what there are aren't enough dentists who are willing to look for them or who just plain don't care enough to try and help save their patients any $$$$$$$$$$$$.
My dentist right now is designing a new splint and is going to use a titanium wire to that is used in partial plates, he said when using anything that creates a band across the teeth, it can be filed under "dentures and partials" which he said is 100% more lenient than tmj!
Thanks again and I am glad you have found some coping methods!
Karen