I had an MRI done and the radiologist checked for many things. He said my right and left tmj's were normal....but I have inflammation in the joints and bilateral superior compartment effusions, consistent with TMD. I only have pain in my left tmj joint and it hurts with use. The doctor gave me a prolotherapy injection in the left joint 9 days prior to the MRI. I'm not sure I want anymore prolotherapy as it reallyt increased the pain (I found out later that pain is part of prolo). I was told to keep wearing the splint and take bextra and Flexeril for pain. I did not have this pain until after wearing the splint for 5 months. I wish I could take the splint out, but, I'm told that would not be a good idea. The doctor said that if i keep wearing the splint, eventually the joint fluid will dry up. He also wanted to do cortesone treatments (by patch), but, I declined until I saw how the bextra works. I also posted on the arthritis board. How serious are joint effusions in the tmj....the radiologist said that there wasn't a lot of fluid and there is more on the right side....but, my left side is giving me the problems. Does anyone else have this? Why would pain start adter being in a splint for months, decompressing the joint, and the joints are normal????