New here + Questions - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

AngelZoo · 10-02-2004, 11:52 AM

Hello all.
My family doctor says I have TMJD, he diagnosed me about a month ago.
It's a problem I've had going on for about 5 months now, only getting worse and worse. Now adays sometimes it is really unbearable.
I've also suffered from chronic migrains for about 7 years now.

My question is, I don't have any health insurance right now, so where should a person in my situation go from here. I've read quiet a bit about TMJD but as far as treatment goes I don't know what path to follow.
My doctor told me to go see a pain specialist, or a dentist.
He had me on some medicain a while ago to see if it would help ease the pain, though it didn't do anything at all, a couple like anti inflamitories I believe.
Other then that, he's had me on Percocet to help manage the pain, I basically take one when I need to.

Please someone tell me where to go from here, I can't have the percocet forever, and otc pain killers simply don't work.

Grrmotts · 10-02-2004, 01:10 PM

I find that if I ice the inflammed area for about 20 mins every morn...and night, and take Motrin in between, it helps alot, to keep the inflammation down. But the thing is you have to have a regular routine that is right for you and your symptoms.

Also, try to get it off your mind as much as possible, it keeps your muscles more relaxed and helps tremendously.

My main problems are swollen glands, neck tension, and sore swollen throat.

AngelZoo · 10-02-2004, 01:32 PM

Well, OTC products don't really work for me, they haven't for years.
I recently took about 1200mgs of Ibuprofine 2 times a day, that seemed to help ever so slightly, it also made me feel incredibly weird, because that is simply too large of a dosage.

Putting cold on it makes it hurt SO much more. Sometimes I will put a heating pad on it, on the low setting and at times it helps a little. But I don't have time every day to keep doing that, or to sit around with it on my face for hours.

I have yet to find much I can do at home to help this.

I don't really clench or grind my teeth, but I have a real hard time relaxing all the muscles in my face, I'm just under far too much stress, so it's impossible to go the route of "lessening" daily stress.

analog2000 · 10-03-2004, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngelZoo

I recently took about 1200mgs of Ibuprofine 2 times a day, that seemed to help ever so slightly, it also made me feel incredibly weird, because that is simply too large of a dosage.

Are you still doing this? That is a really high dose, like damaging your liver and kidneys high. Have you talked to your doc? Maybe he could recommend something less toxic?

AngelZoo · 10-04-2004, 09:19 AM

As mentioned before, I don't have insurance, and my family doctor I've had for about a year, is now an hour away from me as I have moved. I still have my percocet, so I keep taking that for pain, at least until it's all gone.
Yes I'm aware of how damaging high dosages of things like Ibuprophine can be. I am also aware of how suicidal I get with pain that goes untreated for days.

So... where do I go from here though? I'm working on getting insurance back. But do I go see a pain specialist ( I don't even know where to find such a person ). Or should I go see a dentist first? Should I get x-rays taken of my jaw etc? No one has told me anything.
The pain from the tmj is always there, some days worse then others, but it's always there and driving me insane. It's only getting WORSE not better, which makes me think there is a real problem.
I've suffered from Migraines for 7 years now, and the tmj pain is even starting to overcome the migraines.