Danny149
04-08-2008, 03:13 PM
Well, I've had TMD for over a year now.
A brief history, i had started getting 2 new molars (very last teeth in the back of my mouth) it started making me uncomfortable, this is before the TMJ flared up, one day i awoke and found my ears semi-plugged. I paniced and called the dentist. Anyhow they said I had TMJ, little did i know that TMJ cannot be cured. I waited a few months before figuring out that i needed to see a TMJ dentist.
The Problems:
-I lose all of my hearing and become deaf until i rest my head on a pillow (a splint has helped a little bit)
-My Vision becomes blurry making it hard to read and see
-I can't open my mouth, not even close to an inch
-Eating is not an option, i went from 205 to 185 LBS in a little less then 2 months
-Depression made it so i would never leave my house let alone my room
- Swelling in my face and neck, the swelling is so bad that it looked like someone beat me with a bat
- I cannot go to work, I cannot move my head to the left or the right, down or up, i can only look straight.
I've been wearing a top splint for about 6 months, it has helped a little bit but not much. I'm thinking maybe they need to adjust my bite, my jaw is very far back it seems.
Right at this very moment I feel very hopless, now that i have alot of information about TMJ I'm almost certian TMJ cannot be helped, I'm trying to figure out a way to deal with the suffering, don't think i can live like this for to much longer. It's hard being 20, a singer/song writer, not being able to express my voice, not being able to go out with my friends, laughing and partying with them, rather I sit at home all day and think about what life would be like without TMJ and who I would be.
I'm looking for any information, any doctor world wide that might be famous for his treatments, help.
A brief history, i had started getting 2 new molars (very last teeth in the back of my mouth) it started making me uncomfortable, this is before the TMJ flared up, one day i awoke and found my ears semi-plugged. I paniced and called the dentist. Anyhow they said I had TMJ, little did i know that TMJ cannot be cured. I waited a few months before figuring out that i needed to see a TMJ dentist.
The Problems:
-I lose all of my hearing and become deaf until i rest my head on a pillow (a splint has helped a little bit)
-My Vision becomes blurry making it hard to read and see
-I can't open my mouth, not even close to an inch
-Eating is not an option, i went from 205 to 185 LBS in a little less then 2 months
-Depression made it so i would never leave my house let alone my room
- Swelling in my face and neck, the swelling is so bad that it looked like someone beat me with a bat
- I cannot go to work, I cannot move my head to the left or the right, down or up, i can only look straight.
I've been wearing a top splint for about 6 months, it has helped a little bit but not much. I'm thinking maybe they need to adjust my bite, my jaw is very far back it seems.
Right at this very moment I feel very hopless, now that i have alot of information about TMJ I'm almost certian TMJ cannot be helped, I'm trying to figure out a way to deal with the suffering, don't think i can live like this for to much longer. It's hard being 20, a singer/song writer, not being able to express my voice, not being able to go out with my friends, laughing and partying with them, rather I sit at home all day and think about what life would be like without TMJ and who I would be.
I'm looking for any information, any doctor world wide that might be famous for his treatments, help.
Sponsor
glowing4
04-08-2008, 04:17 PM
Danny, I am so sorry you are suffering in this way. I, too, have TMJ, but not as severely as you do, but I do understand.
In reading your post, what bothers me more than the physcial symptoms is your depression and anxiety about it all. Both of things are so normal when we are not feeling well and the illness seems to engulf us. Maybe, however, you need to try to do some of those things that you yearn to do. If we can get out, even for a short time, we tend to forget ourselves and our misery, or at least it recedes. Our mental outlook towards a problem is sometimes much more important than the physical. Another thing to remember is when we are constantly thinking about how we are feeling or what is happening to us, it can make the symptoms worse because we are stressing, therefor clenching and tightening muscles that so need to relax.
I do understand that it is hard to move past the physcial and I hope that others on here will share what they have done to help themselves or who has helped them the most. I hope that you can believe that your answers will come. Many, many of us live with TMJ and life need not be so bleak. Just as you have seemed to spiral down, you are certainly capable of spiraling up given enough time and the right diagnosis for you. You have youth on your side and a life ahead.
May your answers come swiftly and may others on here offer you encouragement and hope.
glowing4
In reading your post, what bothers me more than the physcial symptoms is your depression and anxiety about it all. Both of things are so normal when we are not feeling well and the illness seems to engulf us. Maybe, however, you need to try to do some of those things that you yearn to do. If we can get out, even for a short time, we tend to forget ourselves and our misery, or at least it recedes. Our mental outlook towards a problem is sometimes much more important than the physical. Another thing to remember is when we are constantly thinking about how we are feeling or what is happening to us, it can make the symptoms worse because we are stressing, therefor clenching and tightening muscles that so need to relax.
I do understand that it is hard to move past the physcial and I hope that others on here will share what they have done to help themselves or who has helped them the most. I hope that you can believe that your answers will come. Many, many of us live with TMJ and life need not be so bleak. Just as you have seemed to spiral down, you are certainly capable of spiraling up given enough time and the right diagnosis for you. You have youth on your side and a life ahead.
May your answers come swiftly and may others on here offer you encouragement and hope.
glowing4
Thelma-Louise
04-08-2008, 06:36 PM
Have you tried other tmj dentists or just the one? In terms of seeking treatment, you can try searching some of the web sites for tmj, myofacial pain syndrome, FJO, even orthodontists and neuromuscular dentists - most have a dr "member" listing so you may be able to find someone in your area. Also dental and medical teaching universities often have depts for Pain Mgmt, tmj and myofacial pain syndrome - you can give that a try as well as perhaps checking the sticky post in this forum under Great TMJ doctors. Additionally have you seen an OS to have the last teeth looked at - if they are your wisdom teeth they could be causing pressure due to lack of room within your mouth - extracting them sometimes helps.
MissHeadache
04-09-2008, 11:34 AM
Hey there Danny. I really feel for you, you sound like you're suffering terribly. Don't despair though, despite what you might think TMJ can be helped when you find the right specialist for you. Some people get cured completely, others have their symptoms eased so they can function "normally" again. You just need to look around for a good doctor. See a few before you commit to treatment. With regards to never going out and enjoying your life because you feel awful, I was like this too but you really need to drag yourself out and just do it. Believe me that seeing your mates will help you chill out and relax and will make you feel better. Also try come counselling for your depression. Stress and depression make TMJ worse for a lot of people so if you can control those that's a step in the right direction.
Danny149
04-09-2008, 07:29 PM
Sadly living in California my whole life i got used to the customs and technology. Currently living in Louisiana I have seen 2 tmj doctors, mind you that they practice TMJ on the side.
Brief History of attempting 2 docs --
The First Doctor:
The first guy was a real jerk, this was the first person i met with about TMJ. He measured how wide i could open my mouth and i think he was also measuring my teeth? they took x-rays, he said he didn't see anything? beats me. Anyhow, he gave me a bottem splint, made of plastic. It felt different, didn't really help... I only saw him for 4-5 month's. He just didn't care about me so i left him, the splint didn't help. His plan for me was to get my jaw rested then have a orthodontist put bracers on for me to match how the splint had left my jaw, (I forget the name of the dentist that do TMJ, the kind that put bracers on and reallign your jaw) but there aren't any of those in louisiana
2nd Doctor
I found another guy whos mainly an orthodontist but does TMJ on the side, i went to him and he was very kind, but i believe him to be a bit slow. Myself being a care-bear i tend to read everything I can, so i did, each time i go into him i have tons of questions. Anyhow, when i met up with him he made me a top splint. I've been wearing it and like i had said in the first post it kinda helps but not really, it seems my teeth are always shifting so it always needs readjusted, soooo my facial swelling is a little bit down for maybe like a week tops. I went to see him the other day to ask him what step 2 was, he told me that the splint would be my best friend for life.......... seriously, im really not a person to cry but.... i really wanted to then, there has to be a step 2...... step 2.
Brief History of attempting 2 docs --
The First Doctor:
The first guy was a real jerk, this was the first person i met with about TMJ. He measured how wide i could open my mouth and i think he was also measuring my teeth? they took x-rays, he said he didn't see anything? beats me. Anyhow, he gave me a bottem splint, made of plastic. It felt different, didn't really help... I only saw him for 4-5 month's. He just didn't care about me so i left him, the splint didn't help. His plan for me was to get my jaw rested then have a orthodontist put bracers on for me to match how the splint had left my jaw, (I forget the name of the dentist that do TMJ, the kind that put bracers on and reallign your jaw) but there aren't any of those in louisiana
2nd Doctor
I found another guy whos mainly an orthodontist but does TMJ on the side, i went to him and he was very kind, but i believe him to be a bit slow. Myself being a care-bear i tend to read everything I can, so i did, each time i go into him i have tons of questions. Anyhow, when i met up with him he made me a top splint. I've been wearing it and like i had said in the first post it kinda helps but not really, it seems my teeth are always shifting so it always needs readjusted, soooo my facial swelling is a little bit down for maybe like a week tops. I went to see him the other day to ask him what step 2 was, he told me that the splint would be my best friend for life.......... seriously, im really not a person to cry but.... i really wanted to then, there has to be a step 2...... step 2.
Danny149
04-09-2008, 07:38 PM
Hi - I have been on this board for a few years but haven't posted in quite some time. If you search under my profile name - you will find a lot of my posts.
I'm just here to offer others some hope.
I have no answers as to how I have improved because every TMJD situation is different and i think there are different degrees, causes etc.
For me - my TMJD pain began after a traumatic life event. I never had any problems previous to that. At the same time I believe my bite began to shift as a result of my own skeletal makeup. In other words TMJD did not shift my bite - it was going down the tubes anyway. I have formed this opinion based on many I have consulted with AND because my TMJD pain has subsided somewhat.
I no longer have daily episodes of pain, headache and feeling like I am losing my mind. However my bite is bad and I can't eat properly with it. It is pretty much totally open when I bite down. After seeing my dentist (who I had not seen in 2 years when i was living in another area so switched dentists) who has been my dentist for about 15 years, he could not get over just how bad my bite was.
The theory with me is that I have no joint damage and a normally functioning TMJ,however my bad bite has caused my TMJ muscles to kick in with a lot of pain. Over the last 6 months my pain has subsided quite a bit because stress WAS aggrivating the condition. That said the pain will continue to return if my bite remains this bad. AND a bad bite is also not a good thing for the general health and maintenance of your teeth and mouth.
I spent a great deal of money on repositioning splints trying to get my jaw back in place but that never would have helped my bite and orthodontia was always in my future. The dentist I WAS seeing, was trying to get my jaw in a comfortable place so that I could then get braces and throughtout that time I was spending a great deal of money on the splints because it was not covered in insurance. When I got my lower splint it was very uncomfortable due to a fractured tooth I had root canaled but the pain never went away. The dentist said I needed to have it retreated but no endodontist or oral surgeon, agreed and they all felt it should be removed.
I tookd a break from splint therapy and my pain went away. Whether that is because my life settled down somewhat which helped the pain go away will never be known.
I am now being treated by my orthodontist, I have my dentist fully supporting this and an oral surgeon who just extracted my sore tooth which has bothered me for two years. In one month I will get my braces.
Some say but if your jaw shifted your bite it might go back - but it is believed that once my teeth are properly aligned and kept that way my jaw will not move them. And even if some shifting began - I will be watched carefully over the years and if necessary more treatment will take place. And i am promised that my bite will never return to how bad it is now. I also know that at times my orthodontia might aggrivate my TMJ but I am okay with that as no pain could be as bad as what I have been through in the past.
It took me 2 years to find a team of folks that I am confident are helping me - ironically the oral surgeon is the same man who was the FIRST oral surgeon I saw about my TMJ. I was in so much pain back then and got so frustrated that I kept looking for others - but it all worked out for the best.
I wish you all the best and will keep you posted on my progress!
This person sounds like my situation kinda, my bite is terrible and the muscles swell up because of it, I wonder if my bad bite is causing the problems, i knwo for sure that the back of molars prior to the slpint don't touch together, hmm that really makes me think... cause from ages 14-17 i noticed my bite changing alot and me always having to kind of bite in a new position, only now did it occur to me... hmm
I'm just here to offer others some hope.
I have no answers as to how I have improved because every TMJD situation is different and i think there are different degrees, causes etc.
For me - my TMJD pain began after a traumatic life event. I never had any problems previous to that. At the same time I believe my bite began to shift as a result of my own skeletal makeup. In other words TMJD did not shift my bite - it was going down the tubes anyway. I have formed this opinion based on many I have consulted with AND because my TMJD pain has subsided somewhat.
I no longer have daily episodes of pain, headache and feeling like I am losing my mind. However my bite is bad and I can't eat properly with it. It is pretty much totally open when I bite down. After seeing my dentist (who I had not seen in 2 years when i was living in another area so switched dentists) who has been my dentist for about 15 years, he could not get over just how bad my bite was.
The theory with me is that I have no joint damage and a normally functioning TMJ,however my bad bite has caused my TMJ muscles to kick in with a lot of pain. Over the last 6 months my pain has subsided quite a bit because stress WAS aggrivating the condition. That said the pain will continue to return if my bite remains this bad. AND a bad bite is also not a good thing for the general health and maintenance of your teeth and mouth.
I spent a great deal of money on repositioning splints trying to get my jaw back in place but that never would have helped my bite and orthodontia was always in my future. The dentist I WAS seeing, was trying to get my jaw in a comfortable place so that I could then get braces and throughtout that time I was spending a great deal of money on the splints because it was not covered in insurance. When I got my lower splint it was very uncomfortable due to a fractured tooth I had root canaled but the pain never went away. The dentist said I needed to have it retreated but no endodontist or oral surgeon, agreed and they all felt it should be removed.
I tookd a break from splint therapy and my pain went away. Whether that is because my life settled down somewhat which helped the pain go away will never be known.
I am now being treated by my orthodontist, I have my dentist fully supporting this and an oral surgeon who just extracted my sore tooth which has bothered me for two years. In one month I will get my braces.
Some say but if your jaw shifted your bite it might go back - but it is believed that once my teeth are properly aligned and kept that way my jaw will not move them. And even if some shifting began - I will be watched carefully over the years and if necessary more treatment will take place. And i am promised that my bite will never return to how bad it is now. I also know that at times my orthodontia might aggrivate my TMJ but I am okay with that as no pain could be as bad as what I have been through in the past.
It took me 2 years to find a team of folks that I am confident are helping me - ironically the oral surgeon is the same man who was the FIRST oral surgeon I saw about my TMJ. I was in so much pain back then and got so frustrated that I kept looking for others - but it all worked out for the best.
I wish you all the best and will keep you posted on my progress!
This person sounds like my situation kinda, my bite is terrible and the muscles swell up because of it, I wonder if my bad bite is causing the problems, i knwo for sure that the back of molars prior to the slpint don't touch together, hmm that really makes me think... cause from ages 14-17 i noticed my bite changing alot and me always having to kind of bite in a new position, only now did it occur to me... hmm