SJustice1621
07-26-2007, 08:32 PM
Is anyone here having difficulties with their job, school etc.?
I myself am 26 and started having TMJ problems at 20. I was a Pre-med major and still am. My whole life since then has been affected by my health. I've had to drop out of school 3 times, and im a senior still trying to graduate, I've worked through periods of my time in school. It's upsetting because I've always been an active person, outgoing and did well academically; a lot of my close family and friends understandably don't understand how much pain I go through throughout the day. They feel that im just lazy, not trying and just depressed...it really hurts because I don't really know how to explain it to them, and there are some minor cases of TMJ that goes away and major cases of TMJ that sometimes surgery can only fix. With me my pain has progressed to my upper and lower back, neck, shoulders, chest, and even right arm. It's just so painful it's hard to do anything, but I still try. I feel like I have to hide it though because it's just so difficult to explain.
Can anyone give me some advice on how to get support from your family, friends dealing with TMJ? Or give me some of your own personal stories/dealings with TMJ and how it has affected your lives. Most of my family just believes it's a headache and believe the rest of the symptoms are only somatic.
I myself am 26 and started having TMJ problems at 20. I was a Pre-med major and still am. My whole life since then has been affected by my health. I've had to drop out of school 3 times, and im a senior still trying to graduate, I've worked through periods of my time in school. It's upsetting because I've always been an active person, outgoing and did well academically; a lot of my close family and friends understandably don't understand how much pain I go through throughout the day. They feel that im just lazy, not trying and just depressed...it really hurts because I don't really know how to explain it to them, and there are some minor cases of TMJ that goes away and major cases of TMJ that sometimes surgery can only fix. With me my pain has progressed to my upper and lower back, neck, shoulders, chest, and even right arm. It's just so painful it's hard to do anything, but I still try. I feel like I have to hide it though because it's just so difficult to explain.
Can anyone give me some advice on how to get support from your family, friends dealing with TMJ? Or give me some of your own personal stories/dealings with TMJ and how it has affected your lives. Most of my family just believes it's a headache and believe the rest of the symptoms are only somatic.
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sunflower22
07-26-2007, 10:47 PM
I know how you feel. It's no fun to be in pain. You need to just explan to your family and Friends about TMJ. So they understand it more and what you are going through. And some people say the pain is all in your head when it's not. I also have TMJ myself and it's no fun. Some people just don't understand and if there were in our shoes mabe they would. The on;ly peole that understand my TMJ are my co-workers cause I work for a dentist and lot of them have TMJ. and I am only 25. It's hard to figure out what cause it in the frist place.
Thelma-Louise
07-26-2007, 11:41 PM
I doubt anyone other tmj sufferers and specialists that treat it will understand what this can do to a person - you can try explaining it to them, there are even books you can buy - but its hard to explain how widespread the symptoms can become or their affects on the body and mind in general. I haven't been able to work for 3 years now and was an Acctg Mgr in a large faced paced co for many years and this just stopped me in my tracks -not just career wise but in my personal life as well. You may want to search some chiropractic web sites that explain what happens to the spine when the neck and jaw, which share the same muscles and work together, no longer do so - a lot of physical structural changes can occur as a result creating or causing other physical ailments and/or conditions and subsequently affecting the central nervous system and brain. So while some people with tmj only have jaw and face pain or headaches, for others, the pain radiates to other parts of the body and they develop symptoms not commonly associated with tmj. Some drs refer to this as TMD, not tmj - since the symptoms are not limited to a tm joint problem but produce similar symptoms causing widespread muculoskeletal dysfunction. Maybe giving it a different name other than tmj and using some big words they don't understand will help. Its sad but most people think tmj is just a dull ear ache, frequent headaches and sinus or jaw pain.
kvtip
07-26-2007, 11:50 PM
I graduated HS a year ago and had to take this year off due to my TMJ pain, which had started around the end of my sophomore year, it greatly affected my school work and performance
alorcoy
07-29-2007, 10:04 PM
Oh, I so remember the days laying on the bathroom floor at work because of the head pain and dizziness that made me think I was going to vomit. While I have kept the same job, I know that my TMD really affected my performance for about three years. Now I'm being treated with a neuromuscular orthotic, use a TENS unit regularlary and see an acupunturist and a chiro. I am on a path of recovery, I feel, but I still have many bad days and sometimes can't help but call in sick because of the crummy feelings. My bosses have been as understanding as someone who doesn't know much about TMD can be. Earlier this year, when things got really bad, I had to take two weeks disability. It was really hard not only because I was in pain, but because I felt like my coworkers didn't understand and thought I was "faking."
I feel like I have put off a lot of things ... having kids, graduate school, etc. because of the pain. Now that I'm learning to manage with help of things like hot packs and the TENS unit, I feel like I am ready to take on a little more. But, I know it took a long time for things to get so bad with my TMD, so it will take a long time to make them better.
It is cliche, but taking things day by day is the best way to approach life for me. If I think too far ahead I get overwhelmed wondering how I'll deal with the pain plus the things I want to accomplish.
(My jaw is pushed up on the left side squeezing the disc. Most of my pain was on the right and was muscular until I began treatment, now it has shifted more to the left, where the injury actually is).
I feel like I have put off a lot of things ... having kids, graduate school, etc. because of the pain. Now that I'm learning to manage with help of things like hot packs and the TENS unit, I feel like I am ready to take on a little more. But, I know it took a long time for things to get so bad with my TMD, so it will take a long time to make them better.
It is cliche, but taking things day by day is the best way to approach life for me. If I think too far ahead I get overwhelmed wondering how I'll deal with the pain plus the things I want to accomplish.
(My jaw is pushed up on the left side squeezing the disc. Most of my pain was on the right and was muscular until I began treatment, now it has shifted more to the left, where the injury actually is).
jim1971
07-30-2007, 10:37 AM
I know exactly what you guys are going through. In fact i called in this morning. I am beginning to see just how long this process is. Some of my earlier symptoms like the ear stuffiness are going away / gone - but others remain and really fire up. To give you some idea im taking 800mg of skelaxin twice a day and still a lot of ibruprofen. Sometimes they help - others they dont. The muscles from my tmj through my temporal region, and on top of my head get really tight and painful. The other area is around my left tmj itself.
Tomorrow will be the two month mark with my MORA and its very hard to gauge progress at times but it still feels like my muscles are in spasm. (Which while on the topic what do you guys do for this stretched muscle pain - heat pads etc? :) )
I think you guys have already hit the nail on the head as far as daily life with coworkers, friends, family. Pretty much if you are up and walking around etc people cant 'see' what is going on with you and just assume you are exaggerating etc. I have said at times it would be easier if you had a broken arm - at least people can see the injury.
Day at a time. Honestly thats the only way to look at it and take it. Learning to manage the symptoms while going through the long treatment process seems to be the key - and to hang in there.
J
Tomorrow will be the two month mark with my MORA and its very hard to gauge progress at times but it still feels like my muscles are in spasm. (Which while on the topic what do you guys do for this stretched muscle pain - heat pads etc? :) )
I think you guys have already hit the nail on the head as far as daily life with coworkers, friends, family. Pretty much if you are up and walking around etc people cant 'see' what is going on with you and just assume you are exaggerating etc. I have said at times it would be easier if you had a broken arm - at least people can see the injury.
Day at a time. Honestly thats the only way to look at it and take it. Learning to manage the symptoms while going through the long treatment process seems to be the key - and to hang in there.
J
Nenu
07-30-2007, 10:59 AM
Definitely affects my life negatively. I have been going through treatment since April (when they finally discovered what was all wrong with me) and have been off work since January. That's quite a long time to be away from work, it's horrible. I've had a lot of additional weird symptoms to deal with besides only the TMJ pain. But as things progress, I am getting better so don't give up hope.
loudawg
07-30-2007, 08:06 PM
Jim - we must have synchronized TMJ. I called in this morning as well. I had a terrible Sunday - overdid it with the socializing / talking - and had an evening of spasm / achiness / dizziness / sinus congestion. The worst attack in quite some time.
Most of my co-workers have been pretty sympathetic. But I know that my manager must be somewhat annoyed. I'm sure he doesn't think I'm faking it, but it's gotta be hard when he's trying to plan a schedule and I tell him everyday is different for me - basically that he shouldn't depend on me because the symptoms can ratchet up on any day. I try to be frank w/ him and say "my life sucks right now and I wish that I could work harder, but I can't." I don't try to hide my frustration and pain.
I've met so many people that say "Oh... I had TMJ.. my jaw clicked." It annoys me to some extent because TMJ symptoms can vary greatly in severity and they need to recognize that.
Most of my co-workers have been pretty sympathetic. But I know that my manager must be somewhat annoyed. I'm sure he doesn't think I'm faking it, but it's gotta be hard when he's trying to plan a schedule and I tell him everyday is different for me - basically that he shouldn't depend on me because the symptoms can ratchet up on any day. I try to be frank w/ him and say "my life sucks right now and I wish that I could work harder, but I can't." I don't try to hide my frustration and pain.
I've met so many people that say "Oh... I had TMJ.. my jaw clicked." It annoys me to some extent because TMJ symptoms can vary greatly in severity and they need to recognize that.
caligirl1
08-16-2007, 07:10 PM
Reading this post truly makes me feel that I am not alone. I came to this board to see if others experience what I am going through and I guess they do. I will give you some quick background. I am 27 and had braces for 4 1/2 years I think in middle school. The past 6 years I have had TMJ and the past 4 it has been horrible, splint after splint. The past 6 months I am getting migraines basically DAILY. I just went to a Neurologist to get on a preventative medication because Migraines do run in my family on my moms side. It started to help, but now I am seeing it is from my TMJ pain. I had a CT Scan and that was normal, so now I am waiting to see an Oral Surgeon that specializes in TMJ on 9/6 to get better treatment. I have been to a great TMJ Professor actually that prescribed a splint but it didn't work well. Funny that someone he taught wanted me to have surgery and the professor said No, after looking at my MRI scans that my TMJ is muscle related and I am not a candidate for surgery, I just need a good doctor and splint made to control this. I don't WANT surgery, I refuse, I know that is life changing and it's no turning back. I spend nights crying because I have to take so much Imitrex for my damn migraines. I know the feeling of work which is what I am getting it. People don't understand when you say it's my Migraines or my TMJ. Unless like "US" you deal with it daily. For crying out loud, I have to let my cereal soak in milk to let it get soggy so I don't CRUNCH on it and cause myself a headache from the jaw pain.
Please tell me there is hope other then surgery, I saw up above about the Mora I think? That is in a TMJ book I bought to read, I asked the professor about that but I guess he didn't prefer that treatment. It seems to be successful with a lot of people I have read. I just want hope that there is light at the end of this tunnel. I wanted to start a family soon and now had to put that on hold till I get these migraines under control and that was heart breaking in itself. :( :( :(
Please tell me there is hope other then surgery, I saw up above about the Mora I think? That is in a TMJ book I bought to read, I asked the professor about that but I guess he didn't prefer that treatment. It seems to be successful with a lot of people I have read. I just want hope that there is light at the end of this tunnel. I wanted to start a family soon and now had to put that on hold till I get these migraines under control and that was heart breaking in itself. :( :( :(
marinerseric
08-16-2007, 08:04 PM
Its affecting me more than anything i can no longer run, jump, exercise, move fast and eat the foods ie gushers.
I can no longer do what i use to do and im in school. So for me its affecting alot more than others.
I can no longer do what i use to do and im in school. So for me its affecting alot more than others.