years_behind
02-14-2007, 06:46 AM
If you have tmj, are you supposed to have the following:
_ confused, lightheaded, forgetful, unable to concentrate, speech problems
_ mood swings
_ twisting, pulling, numbing feeling (and sometimes pain) on both temples, forehead, face and neck, unable to find a comfortable posture
_ frowning without being aware of it
_ eyes strain, very uncomfortable when trying to look up
_ sometimes hear noises around the eyes or neck
All of these happened after my orthodontic treatment. Is anyone going through the same thing?? Have you had to deal with people calling you mentally illed, retarded, stupid etc.? Is it all in my head?? Please help!!!!!!!
_ confused, lightheaded, forgetful, unable to concentrate, speech problems
_ mood swings
_ twisting, pulling, numbing feeling (and sometimes pain) on both temples, forehead, face and neck, unable to find a comfortable posture
_ frowning without being aware of it
_ eyes strain, very uncomfortable when trying to look up
_ sometimes hear noises around the eyes or neck
All of these happened after my orthodontic treatment. Is anyone going through the same thing?? Have you had to deal with people calling you mentally illed, retarded, stupid etc.? Is it all in my head?? Please help!!!!!!!
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Rawspice
02-14-2007, 08:43 AM
Have you had to deal with people calling you mentally illed, Is it all in my head?? Please help!!!!!!!
Oh yes I have had people say these things and I have fallen out with people over TMJ. Family and friends don't seem to understand at all!
Oh yes I have had people say these things and I have fallen out with people over TMJ. Family and friends don't seem to understand at all!
years_behind
02-14-2007, 04:56 PM
Thanks Rawspice for the reply. It relieves me a bit to know I'm not alone, though I'm very sorry you have to go through it. I'm 18, just have tmj recently and still learning to cope. How does everyone live with tmj? I'm interested to know about your daily life. For example if you have to go out and your face is twitching, or when you really need to do some task and you just can't concentrate, your mind is all over the place, people don't believe you... what do you do...?
I wish there were a cure for tmj...
I wish there were a cure for tmj...
Thelma-Louise
02-14-2007, 05:31 PM
Well you have to remain strong within yourself - keep telling yourself this is a challenge to be overcomed or dealt with and you are doing the best that you can. You know yourself well enough to know who are and what you really are capable of - and this is just going to prove it more so. Recognize or acknowledge that emotionally this may take a toll on you (people, even family, can be unintentionally cruel due to ignorance, I say this to myself over and over again) - so find something that you can do even if its only a few mins a day that gives you a sense of satisfaction or well being - since I can't work I try to do Su***u puzzles to keep my mind off the pain - if I get one or 2 done a day it means I was able to concentrate - I'll take it! At least I feel like I am trying to fight the symptoms (intense brain fog) as best I can. Keep lists of what you need to do during the day - it will help you ensure that things get done even though you forget what you are doing during it - go back to the list periodically and it will help remind you of something you stopped in the middle of. If you cross a few things off the list each day you know you accomplished something.
And also at some point and with much struggle you may have to give up some of your vanity or concern of what others think of you if you are having twitches - my facial spasms have evolved to the point that my mouth opens wide and my face pulls to one side so I look like I am having some type of siezure and since they hurt I groan at the same time - at first I wouldn't want anyone to see this I was so embarrased but now after 3 yrs I am tired of hiding and being so concerned about it - its my life right now so if I have to put up with it then so do others.
So be strong, do the best you can and don't worry too much about how you look or what others think and don't give up hope that you won't get better - many people do recover - so don't give up on that possibility.
And also at some point and with much struggle you may have to give up some of your vanity or concern of what others think of you if you are having twitches - my facial spasms have evolved to the point that my mouth opens wide and my face pulls to one side so I look like I am having some type of siezure and since they hurt I groan at the same time - at first I wouldn't want anyone to see this I was so embarrased but now after 3 yrs I am tired of hiding and being so concerned about it - its my life right now so if I have to put up with it then so do others.
So be strong, do the best you can and don't worry too much about how you look or what others think and don't give up hope that you won't get better - many people do recover - so don't give up on that possibility.
Rawspice
02-15-2007, 07:12 AM
since I can't work I try to do Su***u puzzles to keep my mind off the pain
Do you not work because of TMJ or because of some other illness as well?
I can't get doctors or the dentist to take my TMJ pain serious enough no matter how much I moan.
Do you not work because of TMJ or because of some other illness as well?
I can't get doctors or the dentist to take my TMJ pain serious enough no matter how much I moan.
Thelma-Louise
02-15-2007, 06:49 PM
I can't work primarily due to the facial spasms, pain (my head feels like it is in a vise or being squeezed and I feel like I am being choked) and brain fog. For some reason the spasms intensify when I talk. The only time drs believe what I am telling them about my symptoms is when they see a spasm in progress - and shortly thereafter they usually say they can't help me. LOL But my current tmj dentist has told me he has seen this so it can't be that uncommon. I agree - getting people to understand how intense the pain is very difficult. You would think with a spasm though people would see how contorted my face gets - that its got to hurt - but they still don't. The closest I have come to having the pain measured in some tangible way was in having a surface EMG done by a NUCCA chiro - they slowly roll some kind of hand held sensor up or down your spine and it feeds readings into a computer and generates a bar chart that depicts the amount of "stress" signal being emitted from each vertebrae and corresponding muscle group - but I was told that even this is subjective. But the chart looked accurate to me - the bars on the left were practically off the chart implying intense pain and the bars on the right showed only mild to moderate pain - which is exactly how I feel. Don't you wish there was a way they could feel it for just one moment...just one moment. Maybe that's why my tmj dr doesn't question me about it too much - he had a rough time with tmj when he was younger.
Rawspice
02-16-2007, 04:12 PM
I can't work primarily due to the facial spasms, pain (my head feels like it is in a vise or being squeezed and I feel like I am being choked) and brain fog. For some reason the spasms intensify when I talk. The only time drs believe what I am telling them about my symptoms is when they see a spasm in progress - and shortly thereafter they usually say they can't help me. LOL But my current tmj dentist has told me he has seen this so it can't be that uncommon. I agree - getting people to understand how intense the pain is very difficult. You would think with a spasm though people would see how contorted my face gets - that its got to hurt - but they still don't. The closest I have come to having the pain measured in some tangible way was in having a surface EMG done by a NUCCA chiro - they slowly roll some kind of hand held sensor up or down your spine and it feeds readings into a computer and generates a bar chart that depicts the amount of "stress" signal being emitted from each vertebrae and corresponding muscle group - but I was told that even this is subjective. But the chart looked accurate to me - the bars on the left were practically off the chart implying intense pain and the bars on the right showed only mild to moderate pain - which is exactly how I feel. Don't you wish there was a way they could feel it for just one moment...just one moment. Maybe that's why my tmj dr doesn't question me about it too much - he had a rough time with tmj when he was younger.
I wish I could have a surface EMG done or whatever it was you had, it would be interesting to see the results. I'm not working now either, I'm in far to much pain to concetrate on anything! But I have no money coming in, doctors just don't take me seriously. Yes I always think that, I just wish i could pass my pain on to someone else(doctor)for a minute to show them how much pain I'm in.
I wish I could have a surface EMG done or whatever it was you had, it would be interesting to see the results. I'm not working now either, I'm in far to much pain to concetrate on anything! But I have no money coming in, doctors just don't take me seriously. Yes I always think that, I just wish i could pass my pain on to someone else(doctor)for a minute to show them how much pain I'm in.
years_behind
02-16-2007, 04:18 PM
I can relate very well!
I had blood test, dental x-ray, whole head x-ray, mri, cat... nothing showed anything wrong! So when I came to a neurologist he looked through all of them in a few minutes and diagnosed me as being psychotic! My family began to look at me with watchful eyes... they really thought I was crazy. Everytime I saw my relatives they told me stories of mentally illed people they knew... it's like they enjoyed doing that.
It's been one year and for a while I gave up on trying to convince anyone... but my counselor at school referred me to this physiotherapist who confirmed I do have facial muscle tightness.
On the worst days of tmj I couldn't even watch movies... I couldn't catch up with the dialogues... I too had problems with my voice... my throat felt like it was stuck and it was hard to "squeak" the voice out... when I tried to speak or read my head squeezed very badly...
It's strange that people comment on how unpleasant I look all the time but won't believe my face twitches... lol it makes me so frustrated.
I had blood test, dental x-ray, whole head x-ray, mri, cat... nothing showed anything wrong! So when I came to a neurologist he looked through all of them in a few minutes and diagnosed me as being psychotic! My family began to look at me with watchful eyes... they really thought I was crazy. Everytime I saw my relatives they told me stories of mentally illed people they knew... it's like they enjoyed doing that.
It's been one year and for a while I gave up on trying to convince anyone... but my counselor at school referred me to this physiotherapist who confirmed I do have facial muscle tightness.
On the worst days of tmj I couldn't even watch movies... I couldn't catch up with the dialogues... I too had problems with my voice... my throat felt like it was stuck and it was hard to "squeak" the voice out... when I tried to speak or read my head squeezed very badly...
It's strange that people comment on how unpleasant I look all the time but won't believe my face twitches... lol it makes me so frustrated.
Rawspice
02-17-2007, 03:51 PM
^I can't watch movies either especially dvds because I'm sensitive to sound. As soon as I put a dvd on the pain starts to spread from my jaw to my head and the pain gets much worse.
Thelma-Louise, does having an EMG done hurt?
Thelma-Louise, does having an EMG done hurt?
Islandgirl1970
02-17-2007, 05:42 PM
I have TMJ but it only manifests itself in hearing loss and a sore jaw if I have to keep my mouth open for long, like at the dentist. My cousin had it so bad his mouth would drop open so he had to have major surgery involving his jaw being broken and his mouth wired shut for a month until it healed. He is all recovered and fine now, I've never heard of constant pain from it, that sucks.
Thelma-Louise
02-17-2007, 08:19 PM
^I can't watch movies either especially dvds because I'm sensitive to sound. As soon as I put a dvd on the pain starts to spread from my jaw to my head and the pain gets much worse.
Thelma-Louise, does having an EMG done hurt?
Not a surface EMG - other than having to take your shirt off - you basically just sit on a stool and lean forward as they roll the sensor up and down the spine - it looked and felt like a hand massager.
But I had an EMG done by a neuro where they actually stuck needles into various mucles on the body which were also attached by wires to a computer which did HURT (I wouldn't recommend it to anyone). This type of EMG measures the time it takes the brain to react to the needle stimulation in the mucle as evidenced when the muscle twitches or reflexes. I was sore for a few days in every mucle they tested and had some bruises. Wished someone had told me how painful it was going to be. When the NUCCA chiro suggested we do a surface EMG I shook my head - no way! He laughed and said the one he would do was not invasive and no needles. I guess he must hear the same thing from other patients that have had a neuromuscular EMG.
So if you are thinking of having one done make sure you know which type it is and don't be talked into the neuromuscular EMG - its painful and only proves when muscles are NOT reacting or lack response. Most of us with tmj have normal muscle function but the muscles are just stressed, overworked and hypersensitive due to the chronic pain.
PS - I keep my tv on mute and read the closed captions - its easier on the ears and tends to keep me more focused.
Thelma-Louise, does having an EMG done hurt?
Not a surface EMG - other than having to take your shirt off - you basically just sit on a stool and lean forward as they roll the sensor up and down the spine - it looked and felt like a hand massager.
But I had an EMG done by a neuro where they actually stuck needles into various mucles on the body which were also attached by wires to a computer which did HURT (I wouldn't recommend it to anyone). This type of EMG measures the time it takes the brain to react to the needle stimulation in the mucle as evidenced when the muscle twitches or reflexes. I was sore for a few days in every mucle they tested and had some bruises. Wished someone had told me how painful it was going to be. When the NUCCA chiro suggested we do a surface EMG I shook my head - no way! He laughed and said the one he would do was not invasive and no needles. I guess he must hear the same thing from other patients that have had a neuromuscular EMG.
So if you are thinking of having one done make sure you know which type it is and don't be talked into the neuromuscular EMG - its painful and only proves when muscles are NOT reacting or lack response. Most of us with tmj have normal muscle function but the muscles are just stressed, overworked and hypersensitive due to the chronic pain.
PS - I keep my tv on mute and read the closed captions - its easier on the ears and tends to keep me more focused.
years_behind
02-17-2007, 10:17 PM
^ I do the opposite... I usually only listen to the sound because I have eye strain. Sometimes I see doubles. Tmj can do all sorts of things to you. Does anyone get tingling hands/feet or feel it awkward to walk?