RobynRose

Hi Kelly,
I've been reading your posts with a ton of interest.
I'm so glad you and your son are on a good path.

I wondered...you mentioned in anothe post that the jaw is really one's "center of gravity". I have a pretty complicated history of pain that started 9 years ago with headache. The headaches were 24/7 - and severe.

Oddly, a chiropractor was able to temporarily relieve the head pain with adjustment of my Sacroiliac joints (lumbar spine).

Before I knew it I had wicked back pain (never had any prior)...and instablity, herniated disc - and a locking back.

To make a long story short...I had always had a jaw that "clunked" when I openned my mouth - and was told I had TMJ syndrome as a child (I'm 39)... Never had true jaw pain though..so did nothing about the jaw clunking. Also have never had a "curve" on xrays of my cervical spine.

2 Years ago I had a myelogram test for the spine pain - and this resulted in massive headache (like I've never known before). It was a vise-like headache --awful pressure into into the sinus...fullness in the ear (under water feeling)...and periodic migraine "attacks". My face got hot (burning)... and the jaw was even painful. Also eyie stabbing etc - and many of the classic tmj symptoms.

Wasn't till this past September that I actually associated the jaw with my ongoing post-mylogram symptoms. The jaw at this time began to completely deviate to the left -- clunk --- and neck/shoulderblade pain came on strong. At this point there is no doubt that I'm dealing with a tmj problem...just not sure if it's the chicken or the egg!!

Here's my question. I can feel the lumbar spine lock up and the tmj goes into overdrive when this happens. I try desperately to adjust my vertebrae by openning my mouth and twisting my lumbar??!!! I make odd faces - with an instinct that the jaw and spine are totally connected.

Do you think that the jaw issue that have existed since childhood (mostly asymptomatically) - could have predisposed me to the spinal alignment problems??

I keep remembering that before my spine pain...I had 3 months of severe headache. It's almost as though the myelogram (spinal leak) --- damaged my trigeminal nerve and set the tmj symptoms into high gear??!!

My other question is since I never had braces... do you suspect that my problems could be helped with the type of splint therapy you and your son are now undergoing?? I am fearful of getting involved with any invasive therapy that is not the RIGHT therapy (I'm sure you understand). Also, because I suffer with debilitating spine (and now neck/shoulder jaw pain)... I am very curious how these interconnect where the center of gravity issues are concerned.

Also..I'll mention that I have loose ligaments everywhere -- crack and clunk constantly. I believe this is just my genetic connective tissue.

Thanks so much for sharing whatever insight you may have obtained through all your hard work and research.
It is so kind of you to help guide some of us less-knowing souls (like me).

Best to you.... oh - yes --- who is this fabulous specialist in the US??

Robyn

btw, I do currently have both an overbite and a crossbite.