MLZ
03-30-2006, 10:39 AM
I just recently noticed that one of my shoulders looks higher than the other. Can this contribute to TMJ? Does anyone know of any stretches or something that can correct this? I seen a chiro fairly recently he did nothing to check shoulder alignment, only spine, and I really didnt notice any difference after a few sessions. Would finding a different chiro help?
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laskalady
03-30-2006, 01:35 PM
My tmj specialist said my right shoulder was a bit higher than my left and that I had head forward posture, so this does have something to do with TMJ problems..I've been reading this book Taking Control of TMJ I"m sure you've heard all about it before, but it talks about all that, how the body can be off alignment from all sorts of things....gives exercises too..Ill look some up and tell you about them.
JaneEG
03-31-2006, 07:57 AM
:confused: tmj definitely affects the shoulders. I have suffered with all my tmj pains for ages, with very frequent flares. During this current flare I dislocated my shoulder and have had to have painful surgery to pin it all back into place. All my muscles from my waist up are weak, the worst being my shoulders and neck. Physio doesn't work, has anyone else found a better solution? I'm in a holster type sling 24 hours a day at the moment which is helping my shoulder but making my neck/jaw ache even worse.
Jane
Jane
quirkyvirgo
04-04-2006, 06:33 PM
I saw a physical therapist last year who said that my shoulders seeming misaligned was actually due to an elevated first rib (aparently if the muscles stay really tense for a while they can have that effect.) PT for a few months made a huge difference for me.
Tandi
Tandi
laskalady
04-04-2006, 07:41 PM
quirkyvirgo,
I have misaligned shoulder the right its slightly higher than the left, but also I notice that my ribs..on the right side i can feel it slipping like as if its slipping in and out of place at times..for example if i'm bending over too much..and then straighten up. Did you ever get this at all? I'm wondering if I also have this elevated rib.
I have misaligned shoulder the right its slightly higher than the left, but also I notice that my ribs..on the right side i can feel it slipping like as if its slipping in and out of place at times..for example if i'm bending over too much..and then straighten up. Did you ever get this at all? I'm wondering if I also have this elevated rib.
Thelma-Louise
04-09-2006, 01:30 AM
I thought I was the only one with this - I have definitely noticed a big difference in the shoulder and collar bone areas. I also noticed one shoulder higher than the other and also that the collar bone on one side seems to stick out more than the other. I always looked symetrical before (I least I think I did, never really paid much attention to it before the TMJ) My chiro told me my sternum had moved resulting in all the changes. I can actually feel my collar bone push against other bones on my shoulder and neck. My PT therapist advised the use of very light weights - starting at 10 reps per day for a week building up to 25 reps over a few weeks. Limit the weight to 1 or 2 lbs - nothing heavier. Also you can go to a corner in a room - stand an arms length away from the corner, and place your hands on the adjacent walls and slowly bend your elbows and let your upper torso lean into the corner - as if you are doing push ups against the wall. This really helps stretch out your shoulders and build up your muscle strength. A really good exercise is to sit down, place the right hand under your bottom, and take the left arm and slowly bring it over your head putting your hand over your right ear and slowly bring your head over towards the left keeping your eyes focused up towards the left ceiling - reverse and do the other side. Very slowly though. This will stretch out the nexk and shoulder areas as well. Hope that helps.
MLZ
04-09-2006, 10:19 AM
Thanks for all replies :) I have finally ordered the book taking control of TMJ. I should have got it a long time ago haha. None of my local bookstores had it in stock so I had to order it from amazon and am now waiting for it to come.
Thelma... when you said the use of very light weights... is it for biceps curls or lifting them up over your head or out to the sides? thanks!
Thelma... when you said the use of very light weights... is it for biceps curls or lifting them up over your head or out to the sides? thanks!
Thelma-Louise
04-09-2006, 01:49 PM
I do bicep curls and out to the sides but not over my head.
superk1317
04-21-2006, 01:06 PM
My left should is higher than my right but I am noticing the difference is increasing causing more pain to me. I have a bad back from backboarding a woman one summer while lifeguarding but I also have a chest problem due to my friend hugging me from behind creating a blow to my chest. Because nothing shows up in an X-ray, the doctors never have any advice. My chest pops at least 3 times a day. I have limited range of motion, and recently I have pain all throughout my shoulders, back, sides, and chest. Any ideas? Thanks for any help you might have.
Thelma-Louise
04-22-2006, 12:17 AM
Have you tried a chiropractor? For your shoulders to be out of alignment it usually means your hips are out as well, leaving one leg shorter than the other, although it may not feel that way. Look for one that uses an activator rather than manual manipulation or a NUCCA or specially trained upper cervical chiro.
luvtocamp
04-22-2006, 07:30 AM
I just starting seeing a chiro for the first time in my life. I felt if my spine is crooked, that might be affecting my tmj. He has helped with the muscles. Look for one that is a certified sports physicain then he can work your muscles too or a upper cervical one. I interviewed several before I decided on one, they usually give free consults.
MLZ
04-26-2006, 02:05 PM
There is a NUCCA practitioner in my city... very expensive though, not covered by my healthcare plan. If I go ahead and splurge on it.. is it worth it.. anyone have any experiences?
Thelma-Louise
04-26-2006, 11:57 PM
I went to a regular chiro for 1 1/2 yrs and saw a big improvement when I went to the NUCCA chiro particularly with facial spasms, nausea, eye pain, muscle twitching. But even NUCCA chiros use different methods - I found this out when my NUCCA chiro had a fill in for him last week while he was away and I actually felt worse for a few days until the other one returned and adjusted me again. Does your health plan cover any type of chiro? If so, try one that uses an activator to see if your particular problem responds or not before splurging. Or find out from the NUCCA chiro how many visits he suggests before improvment so you know how much to expect going in. MY NUCCA chiro told me approx 7 months (2x wkly) and if I paid it up front he would reduce the cost by 10% - I pd $1900. But my ins covered it so I opted to pay it up front. You could search for other chiros if your ins covers them that are specially trained in sports medicine or tmj. Also, it was my neuromuscular dentist who noticed from one of those head xrays that my atlas was rotated left based on some measurements he did on the xray, and it was him who insisted I see a NUCCA chiro, otherwise I probably would have stayed with the reg chiro. I never even knew there was a difference. Would your dentist be able to tell if your atlas is off or not?
luvtocamp
04-27-2006, 06:23 AM
My chiro is going to do an x-ray Fri so see if indeed (actually born with a shorter leg)one leg is really shorter than the other or if its just muscle spasms making it appear shorter. No sense doing all these adjustments if one leg is shorter.
Also I've been using a cervical pillow he gave me to try out and I love it, it keeps my neck aligned and supported whether on my back or side.
The Nucca chiro in my area didn't accept assignment with my ins. so I couldn't go to him, so in my opinon the next best one is one certified as a sports physician so they can work with your muscles.
Also I've been using a cervical pillow he gave me to try out and I love it, it keeps my neck aligned and supported whether on my back or side.
The Nucca chiro in my area didn't accept assignment with my ins. so I couldn't go to him, so in my opinon the next best one is one certified as a sports physician so they can work with your muscles.
Thelma-Louise
04-28-2006, 03:52 PM
Aren't those cervical pillows a godsend? I use it even when sitting on the couch watching tv. Before that I had to use 5-6 pillows to prop me up.
Pipknight
05-02-2006, 07:19 PM
I started having severe shoulder pain about two months before my TMJ started. I had x-rays and an MRI that showed nothing. I went to an orthopedic doctor who said I had tendinitis and gave me a cortisone shot. It got rid of my shoulder pain completely, but only for awhile. Then one day I yawned too widely and my jaw came dislocated. I've had severe TMJ ever since. I have ear problems too. They always feel clogged. I definately think ear and shoulder pain are related to TMJ.
Pip
Pip
Thelma-Louise
05-03-2006, 12:30 AM
My tmd started from a deviated yawn as well. Within a week of that very painful yawn I had just about every tmd symptom listed - so many that most drs said it could not be all due to tmd. It can affect your cervical spine and the balance of the C1 vertabrae - your head sits or rests on this - did you ever have a chiro check your alignment? While I doubt a chiro can "cure" tmd, treatment can help diminish or ease some of the pain. When you read some of the literature about how the jaws, discs, joints, ligaments, mucles and cervical spine, etc. work together and what happens if they do not function properly or are imbalanced its easy to see why so many other areas of the body are affected either directly or indirectly.