TMJ - anyone else have experience with it?

[imatlas]

I've had TMJ(D) off and on for years, due to night grinding ("bruxing"). A custom night-guard is definitely a better idea than over the counter, if you can afford it or get insurance to cover it. An ill-fitting night-guard is a painful disaster!

I think ibuprofen will help you more than acetominophen (Tylenol), but YMMV. Moist heat applied to the joints might help, so does avoiding opening your jaw very wide (especially when you yawn).

Untreated, night grinding can pretty much destroy your teeth - I have pretty severe gum erosion (exposing the roots of my teeth, very sensitive!) and have had one root canal, all as a result of my grinding.

If you are a night grinder, then you are somebody who internalizes stress. Look into learning some stress reduction techniques, or take yoga or something.

Take care of yourself!

 

[Chips]

I have TMD, and have worn a nightgaurd for the last 5 years. I recently moved to the bay area, and went to locate a new dentist. He told me that I had the wear on my molars of a 50 year old (I just turned 30). My TMD flairs up about once a week, and is quite irritating. The odd thing is, I work at UCSF, and my office is on the same floor as the craniofacial clinic, and all the OHNS folks.

I walked in last week to see about making an appointment just to talk with one of the docs, and the stack of paperwork they handed me was about a 1/4 inch thick. Plus $488 fee to get on the waiting list to go to the clinic.

Nice......

 

[bachbeet]

I was diagnosed with it quite a few years ago. A dentist crafted a mouthguard to stop the grinding and i've used ever since. It really works and from what the dentists have told me it is a tooth saver. Grinding one's teeth is something to be very concerned about. Especially since it can lead to tooth loss.

 

[RJmanbearpig]

I found a surprising number of people in law school started having it.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by Thomas

All I have to say is to do whatever you can to reduce your stress. A friend started clenching her teeth at night (work-related stress), then grinding, then she broke a molar which she said hurt worse than anything she could recall.

Unfortunately, I can not relieve my stress.

I wish it were that easy. Life, love, and money are all conspiring against me right now. My mind, dreams, and emotions betray me. I want to spontaneously combust. I can't stop from having self destructive thoughts, for the first time in decades. Though I'm not going to do something stupid like off myself or anything. I'm not quite that dramatic. I'm ******* depressed and stupid. I want to lash out, or lash in... or something. I just want to feel something other than like i have been.

I wish i could stop dreaming about her. I wish she cared more than she does. I wish i didn't feel like I do. Its pathetic and unreasonable.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Sorry, i know everyone is sick of hearing me ***** and moan, be irrational, and etc. I know that even my friends are sick of hearing about it, let alone a group of relative strangers on the internet. I can tell I'm being marsupialed. I just can't help it.

 

[Tck13]

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

Unfortunately, I can not relieve my stress.

I wish it were that easy. Life, love, and money are all conspiring against me right now. My mind, dreams, and emotions betray me. I want to spontaneously combust. I can't stop from having self destructive thoughts, for the first time in decades. Though I'm not going to do something stupid like off myself or anything. I'm not quite that dramatic. I'm ******* depressed and stupid. I want to lash out, or lash in... or something. I just want to feel something other than like i have been. I wish i could stop dreaming about her. I wish she cared more than she does. I wish i didn't feel like I do. Its pathetic and unreasonable.
So, it sounds like TMJ is a symptom of what's really going on. Why not see a Doctor about what's going on? No shame in that. Or maybe even a counselor for a short time. Sounds like there's some feelings that need to be heard or come out (which the internet wouldn't be good for) and maybe some meds are in order to get over the hump? There's no shame in getting help to go through tough times and there's no reason to make it worse. Or, just hook your nipples up to a car battery.

 

[Tokyo Slim]

Originally Posted by Tck13

Or, just hook your nipples up to a car battery.

Tried that, but i can't afford to keep buying new batteries all the time.

Yeah, the TMJD is definitely a symptom of my depression/anxiety. But I really, really don't like taking meds for that kind of thing. I have extensive experience with those kinds of things. I swear to God... I am not crazy. Plus, taking pills for depression and anxiety would just remind me of her.

 

[Davidko19]

I dont think I have it like you, but definetly at a young age I had the jaw popping. I basically had to re-wire my brain to chew my food diagonally instead of up and down (if that makes sense) to mitigate the pops and tiredness of the jaw. It still happens and I can do it on cue, but not to a degree it once was.

 

[Parker]

I had some serious jaw-clenching a few years ago during a pretty stressful period of work/life. After dealing with and getting through that stress, it subsided. But, I had my dentist make a custom mouthguard. It's been really helpful, at least once I got used it. I highly recommend one. A good outlet for stress helps, too.