crepitus in tmj joint found on sonography and exam - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

navy2 · 08-17-2003, 09:44 PM

Hi everyone!

Ok ...I would like to hear from some of the board members that have had experience with this. I went to a dentist and when he was examining me, he told the assistant he heard crepitus in my right tmj joint. I couldn't hear anything myself and the joint never bothered me. I am having popping and clicking with pain in my left tmj. Anyway, then the dentist has his assistant do sonography on me. Apparently there was a lot of noise, more on the side that has never bothered me (right tmj). I've had several health professionals listen to that joint since and they said no crepitus. Tonight, during a blackout, I checked that joint to see if I heard crepitus, I couldn't ...unless I covered the ear, then it sounded like a cracking sound. So, do you think that this is severed crepitus (bone on bone, everything worn away)? Wouldn't i have had years of problems with that joint and clicking/popping and noise before severe crepitus set in. The dentist has me worried. I've read that when you get to the crepitus stage, it might mean the 3 layers of cartillage are worn awat and you need surgery? What do you all think? I go to a new neuro this week, and I'm really worried about what he's going to say about the crepitus. By the way, crepitus is more like a crackling, grinding sound (not clicking and popping).
Navy
Navy

[This message has been edited by navy2 (edited 08-18-2003).]

mdla · 08-17-2003, 09:54 PM

Navy,

I hope the neuro can help. If youve been clicking and popping forever like me where even breathing makes you click in or out of position, youl never believe that a splint can help you but man, Ive been wearing this thing 24-7 and I cant open to far but no clicking it feels foreign but maybe just giving those poor over abused disks a break will help.

Are you really flying to N.Mexico? I wish you luck, if you fly take some baby food thats what I do theres no way you're eating peanuts.

navy2 · 08-17-2003, 09:58 PM

That's good news. Also. maybe i'll stick something in my purse to eat on the plane (that's soft). I'm still concerned about the crepitus that the first neuro heard on the sonography. you wouldn't think that all 3 layers of cartillage would be worn through on the right tmj. I have never had any problems on that side. Can you just get that bad without having symptoms first? It just doesn;t make sense.

Navy

Elaine · 08-17-2003, 10:16 PM

Crunching grinding noises are called Crepitus and means you have osteo-arthritis inside the jaw joint. "Clicking" means the disc is working loose and starting to dislocate. It is the stage before crepitus. After three surgeries, I still have osteo-arthritis so don't let a doctor convince you that you need surgery for that reason alone. Surgery is "one" of the main causes. Once the joint is messed with, it is never the same and most times,worse!
Elaine

navy2 · 08-18-2003, 03:12 AM

Hi Elaine,

Thank-you for your reply. I was really surprised when the neuro (who's really more of a cosmetic dentist), mentioned that he heard crepitus on my left side through his stethescope. I have never had a peep out of that joint that I noticed. You would think that I would have had popping and clicking when I was eating and other things going on before crepitus set in, wouldn't you Elaine? Then he had his assistant do a sonography and I was told that there was a lot more noise in my right tmj, than the left one. I was there about the clicking and popping/ pain in my left tmj. Another thing is why didn't all the other specialists ever mention hearing crepitus when they examined me? I've been worried ever since about needing surgery down the line because I read that when crepitus sets in that means all 3 layers of joint cartillage are gone. I just don't understand why if I have crepitus I wasn't having any pain or problems in that joint beforehand. I'm flying out to see Diane's neuro this week. I know about the displaced disc, but, I'm really worried about him telling me the right joint is completely gone or something. Dr. A, the neuro that said he heard the crepitus said that he didn't know if he could help me if the joint was really bad. Again, why haven't I had more problems with the joint then. I have gotten an ache across my cheek bone on that side and I crack sometimes when I chew, but this seems to be coming from the muscle in my face. Elaine, can you hear your crepitus? I don't hear anything. A few times when I tried to listen and opened real wide, I heard a cracking noise down the side of my jaw (by my neck). Also, before Dr. A examined me, I had 2 tmj facials, where the massage therapist really dug into the muscles in my face. I was pretty sore and swollen and I was crackling in my ear when I swallowed too. I was told that she really moved alot of stuff around in the muscles. I'm wondering if any of this showed up as noises on the sonography. I also crackle in my neck and have neck spasms. I mentioned this to Dr. A and he didn't really respond. Elaine, what do you think? Were you having symptoms before it went to the crepitus stage? I'm not in real pain with that joint, really nothing at all. My chiro and PT listened with stethescopes and heard no crepitus. but, the sonography is supposed to pick up everything. Also Elaine, can crepitus be picked up in the early stages and maybe helped with slint therapy? I'm just wondering if there are stages of crepitus before it actually goes through all 3 layers of cartillage. Thank-you so much for your input on the board.
Navy

[This message has been edited by navy2 (edited 08-18-2003).]