Hi guys and gals.I know you'll are knowledgable so I figured I would ask.I got tmj syndrome and I need things that will relax me.Does anyone know of techniques ,recipes, etc. I had been given soma muscle relaxers from the oral sergeon but after 3 bottles he won't give them to me anymore. Has anyone tryed that kava kava crap?
I don't really like the mouth guards to much.I have worn one at night so I don't grind in my sleep but I found it uncomfortable and I couldn't sleep. I drink herbal tea and take valerian root caps as well.The herbal tea has all kinds of stuff in it,it helps a little. I can't stop grinding I have spasms in my jaw that make me.
It's hard to explain but The guards are big and clunky they hurt more than they help.Plus you look like a tard with a guard lol.Yawning,eating, drinking, kissing, etc it just won't fly. Yeah message therapist could maybe help.I'll have to consider that.I do message my jaw but Those folks specialize in it.
TMJ 241 You may not have heard of it, but you use it hundreds of times every day. It is the Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ), the joint where the mandible (the lower jaw) joins the temporal bone of the skull, immediately in front of the ear on each side of your head. A small disc of cartilage separates the bones, much like in the knee joint, so that the mandible may slide easily; each time you chew you move it. But you also move it every time you talk and each time you swallow (every three minutes or so). It is, therefore, one of the most frequently used of all joints of the body and one of the most complex. You can locate this joint by putting your finger on the triangular structure in front of your ear. Then move your finger just slightly forward and press firmly while you open your jaw all the way and shut it. The motion you feel is the TMJ. You can also feel the joint motion in your ear canal. These maneuvers can cause considerable discomfort to a patient who is having TMJ trouble, and physicians use these maneuvers with patients for diagnosis. How Does TMJ Work? When you bite down hard, you put force on the object between your teeth and on the joint. In terms of physics, the jaw is the lever and the TMJ is the fulcrum. Actually, more force is applied (per square foot) to the joint surface than to whatever is between your teeth. To accommodate such forces and to prevent too much wear and tear, the cartilage between the mandible and skull normally provides a smooth surface, over which the joint can freely slide with minimal friction. Therefore, the forces of chewing can be distributed over a wider surface in the joint space and minimize the risk of injury. In addition, several muscles contribute to opening and closing the jaw and aid in the function of the TMJ. Symptoms: * Ear pain * Sore jaw muscles * Temple/cheek pain * Jaw popping/clicking * Locking of the jaw * Difficulty in opening the mouth fully * Frequent head/neck aches How Does TMJ Dysfunction Feel? The pain may be sharp and searing, occurring each time you swallow, yawn, talk, or chew, or it may be dull and constant. It hurts over the joint, immediately in front of the ear, but pain can also radiate elsewhere. It often causes spasms in the adjacent muscles that are attached to the bones of the skull, face, and jaws. Then, pain can be felt at the side of the head (the temple), the cheek, the lower jaw, and the teeth. A very common focus of pain is in the ear. Many patients come to the ear specialist quite convinced their pain is from an ear infection. When the earache is not associated with a hearing loss and the eardrum looks normal, the doctor will consider the possibility that the pain comes from a TMJ dysfunction. There are a few other symptoms besides pain that TMJ dysfunction can cause. It can make popping, clicking, or grinding sounds when the jaws are opened widely. Or the jaw locks wide open (dislocated). At the other extreme, TMJ dysfunction can prevent the jaws from fully opening. Some people get ringing in their ears from TMJ trouble. How Can Things Go Wrong with TMJ? In most patients, pain associated with the TMJ is a result of displacement of the cartilage disc that causes pressure and stretching of the associated sensory nerves. The popping or clicking occurs when the disk snaps into place when the jaw moves. In addition, the chewing muscles may spasm, not function efficiently, and cause pain and tenderness. Both major and minor trauma to the jaw can significantly contribute to the development of TMJ problems. If you habitually clench, grit, or grind your teeth, you increase the wear on the cartilage lining of the joint, and it doesn't have a chance to recover. Many persons are unaware that they grind their teeth, unless someone tells them so. Chewing gum much of the day can cause similar problems. Stress and other psychological factors have also been implicated as contributory factors to TMJ dysfunction. Other causes include teeth that do not fit together properly (improper bite), malpositioned jaws, and arthritis. In certain cases, chronic malposition of the cartilage disc and persistent wear in the cartilage lining of the joint space can cause further damage. What Can Be Done for TMJ? Because TMJ symptoms often develop in the head and neck, otolaryngologists are appropriately qualified to diagnose TMJ problems. Proper diagnosis of TMJ begins with a detailed history and physical, including careful assessment of the teeth occlusion and function of the jaw joints and muscles. If the doctor diagnoses your case early, it will probably respond to these simple, self-remedies: * Rest the muscles and joints by eating soft foods. * Do not chew gum. * Avoid clenching or tensing. * Relax muscles with moist heat (1/2 hour at least twice daily). In cases of joint injury, ice packs applied soon after the injury can help reduce swelling. Relaxation techniques and stress reduction, patient education, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants or other medications may be indicated in a dose your doctor recommends. Other therapies may include fabrication of an occlusal splint to prevent wear and tear on the joint. Improving the alignment of the upper and lower teeth and surgical options are available for advanced cases. After diagnosis, your otolaryngologist may suggest further consultation with your dentist and oral surgeon to facilitate effective management of TMJ dysfunction. http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/topics/tmj.cfm
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) The Temporomandibular Joints are the points of attachment of the lower jaw to the skull. They are the two joints, one on each side of the face, just in front of the ears. Ligaments, tendons, and muscles support the joints and are responsible for the various jaw movements. If you place your fingers on the sides of your face just in front of your ears, and open and close your mouth, you can feel the movements of the TMJ. The TMJ is the joint formed by the temporal bone of the skull (Temporo) with the lower jaw or mandible (mandibular). These joints move each time we chew, talk or even swallow. The TMJ is a sliding joint and also a ball-and-socket joint. They are among the most complex joints in the human body. There are two different movements associated with jaw opening and closing. For about the first third of the opening range the movement is hinge-like, and in the last two thirds of the opening range the condylar head slides forward and down. Closing movement occurs in reverse order. The temporomandibular joint contains a piece of specialized disc, which is primarily made of cartilage that keeps the lower jawbone and skull from rubbing against each other, called the Articular Disk. It lies between the condylar head and the roof of the Joint. The disc being attached to a muscle (lateral pterigoid) moves with certain movements of the TMJ. The two bones of the TMJ are also held together by a series of ligaments. What is the normal range of mouth opening? Normally when you open your mouth as wide as you can you will be able to place the last three fingers of your hand (middle, ring and little finger) perpendicularly (with your thumb pointing to the ceiling) between your upper and lower front teeth, provided that you can do so without pain or strain. In general, two fingers or less, is a limited range of mouth opening. How can a dislocated (locked) jaw be reduced into its normal position? A helper should stand in front of the person, place the thumbs on the gums next to the lower back teeth, and press first down and then back on the outer surface of the teeth. The jaw should snap back into position. The helper needs to keep the thumbs away from the chewing surfaces because the jaws close with considerable force. Recurrent, chronic dislocation of the mandibular condyle that is unsuccessfully controlled by conservative means can be corrected through a surgical procedure called eminectomy. The rationale is to promote spontaneous self-reduction of a dislocation or convert it to an acceptable subluxation. (see section on surgical treatment.) What are the symptoms associated with TMJ disorders? The causes of temporomandibular joint disorder are a combination of muscle tension and anatomic problems within the joints. Sometimes, there is a psychological component as well. These disorders are most common in women between ages 20 and 50. PRIMARY SYMPTOMS 1. Pain in the joints associated with jaw movements. 2. Intermittent “locking” episodes. A "locking" episode can occur during opening or closing movement. The person experiences an interruption of jaw movement and cannot close his mouth. In order to do so he must jiggle or self manipulate the jaw to the correct position. This occurs due to the articular disk, which rides on top of the condylar-head getting stuck, preventing the condylar-head from moving into the correct position, resulting in the dislocation of the joint. Each time it happens, injury occurs to the tissues in the joint and also to the tissues controlling the articular disk. As a consequence, if the problem is not addressed by appropriate treatment and precautions, one day you may not be able to reduce the dislocation yourself. 3. Limited range of vertical mouth opening 4. Facial pain and muscle fatigue. The nerve to the TMJ is a branch of the trigeminal nerve and therefore, an injury to the TMJ may be confused with neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve. 5. Noises in the joints associated with jaw movements (clicking, snapping, crunching, etc.) Joint noises during jaw movements are a sign that the functional elements of the TMJ are not working smoothly. Crunching or grinding noises (crepitus) are associated with hard tissue contact during movements of the TMJ. There may or may not be pain in the joints. The condylar head is supposed to move together in sync on the depression of the articular disc. In internal derangement, the disk lies in front of its normal position when the mouth is closed. As the mouth opens and the jaw slides forward, the disk slips back into its normal position, making a clicking or popping sound as it does. As the mouth closes, the disk slips forward again, often making another sound. This clicking sound may sometimes be so loud, that others can hear it while you chew. SECONDARY SYMPTOMS 1. Earaches not associated with any infection. Due to the close anatomical relationship of the TMJs to the ears, an injury to the TMJ often causes various ear symptoms. Some of the symptoms may be ear pain, fullness or stuffiness, ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and even a loss of hearing. 2. Frequent headaches. Headache is one of the most common symptoms of a TMJ problem. Usually the TMJ headache is located in the temples, back of the head, and even the shoulders. Clenching and grinding of the teeth may produce muscle pain that can cause headaches. These headaches are frequently so severe that they are confused and treated with little success for migraine headaches. 3. Neck \ shoulder pain. Pain will be felt in the shoulders and back due to muscle contraction, a condition called myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome. 4. Dizziness, disorientation and even confusion are also seen in some people. 5. Sensitive teeth. The teeth may become sensitive because of jaw activities such as clenching or grinding of the teeth when the disc of the TMJ is displaced. Patients often see their dentist with the complaint of pain in the teeth and usually the dentist cannot find any cause. Frequently (and very unfortunately), unnecessary root canals and even tooth extractions are performed. 6. Depression. This may be due to the fact that no one else really believes, there is a problem causing such pain and suffering. Scientific evidence shows that chronic pain patients have changes in their chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters) as a result of the pain. These chemicals can produce depression. Along with depression comes an inability to get a good night's sleep. This may be due to TMJ pain itself or changes in the brain's neurotransmitter chemicals. Sufferers usually wakeup feeling like they never slept or did not sleep well. This lack of sleep not only makes their pain seem worse, but also adds fuel to the fire of depression. 7. Photophobia or light sensitivity. A dislocated TMJ may produce pain in and behind the eye, which can cause sensitivity to light. Blurred vision and eye muscle twitching are also common. What are the causes for TMJ disorders? 1. Opening the mouth too wide. All joints have limitations of movements and the TMJ is no exception. If you open your mouth wide for a long time (yawning, biting into a large sandwich, etc) ligaments may be torn. Swelling and bruising develop and disc dislocation may occur. 2. Bruxism. Bruxism is the abnormal grinding of the teeth. Bruxism usually occurs during sleep. That is why so many people do not realize that they are bruxers. One indication that a person is a bruxer is sore jaw muscles when waking-up in the morning. Bruxism produces muscle pain and sensitive or worn teeth. 3. Malocclusion. Malocclusion (incorrect bite) may be produced by poor development of the jaws, removal of teeth, non-replacement of missing teeth, improper dental restoration, poor fitting dentures, etc. All this can lead to TMJ disorders. 4. Stress. Both physical and psychological stress can produce abnormal pressure on the TMJ disc causing TMJ disorders. 5. Systemic Diseases. Immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus can produce inflammation in the TMJ. Viral infections such as mononucleosis, mumps and measles can cause damage to the surfaces of the TMJ. 6. Trauma. Whiplash injury during an accident or a direct trauma to the mandible or to the TMJ. Any injury that results in bleeding into the joints can even cause Ankylosis of the jaw. 7. Arthritis can affect the temporomandibular joints the same way it affects other joints. In Osteoarthritis the cartilage of the joints degenerates and is most common in older people. When osteoarthritis is severe, the top of the jawbone flattens out, and the person can't open the mouth wide. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the temporomandibular joint in only about 17 percent of people. When rheumatoid arthritis is severe, especially in young people, the top of the jawbone may degenerate and shorten and the jawbone may eventually fuse to the skull (ankylosis), greatly limiting the ability to open the mouth. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects both temporomandibular joints equally. Arthritis in a temporomandibular joint may also result from injury, particularly injury that causes bleeding into the joint. Such injuries are fairly common in children who are struck on the side of the chin. 8. Hypermobility is looseness of the jaw. This results when the ligaments that hold the joint together become stretched. In a person with hypermobility, the jaw may slip forward completely out of its socket (dislocation), causing pain and an inability to close the mouth. 9. Developmental Abnormalities of the temporomandibular joint at birth. These are uncommon. Sometimes the top of the jawbone doesn't form or is smaller than normal. Other times, the top of the jawbone grows faster or for a longer time than normal. These abnormalities can cause facial deformities and misalignment of the upper and lower sets of teeth. Only surgery can correct these problems. What are the treatments for TMJ disorders? Eighty percent of people get better in 6 months without any treatment. There are two basic types of treatment for TMJ disorders: Surgical and Non-surgical. In general it is recommended that non-surgical therapy be provided for a period of six months prior to consideration of surgery. NON-SURGICAL TREATMENT 1. Avoid opening the mouth wide when yawning or biting into a thick sandwich, etc. People with this condition need to stifle yawns, cut food into small pieces and eat food that's easy to chew. 2. Fabrication and insertion of an intra-oral splint, which may be fitted to either the upper or lower jaws (in some cases to both), to re-position the condylar head in the joint space to a more normal position. Thereby relieving the stresses and pressures being placed on the tissues of the joints and their related supporting structures. This eliminate muscle spasms, TMJ swelling, dislocation and generally reduce any type of pain. 3. Physiotherapy. These might include exercises, rehabilitation programs, ultra-sound, etc. Ultrasound is a method of delivering deep heat to painful areas. When warmed by the ultrasound, the blood vessels dilate, and the blood can more quickly carry away the accumulated lactic acid that may cause muscle pain. Electromyographic biofeedback monitors muscle activity with a gauge. The patient attempts to relax the entire body or a specific muscle while watching the gauge. In this way, the patient learns to control or relax particular muscles. Spray and stretch exercises involve spraying a skin refrigerant over the cheek and temple, so the jaw muscles can be stretched. Friction massage and hot fermentation consists of rubbing or keeping a hot towel over the cheek and temple to increase circulation and speed lactic acid removal. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation involves using a device that stimulates the nerve fibers that do not transmit pain. The resulting impulses are thought to block the painful impulses the patient has been feeling. 4. Adjunctive medications in the form of anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxants and such other prescription medicines. 5. Stress Management. This can include any number of modalities from biofeedback training to counseling to medications. 6. Correct any discrepancies between the upper and lower jaws. May include adjustment of the dental occlusion, orthodontic treatment, replacement of missing teeth, etc. 7. Injections of local anesthetic and other medications (steroids) into the joint. 8. Treatment of any underlying systemic disease that could have caused this problem. 9. A person with osteoarthritis in a temporomandibular joint needs to rest the jaw as much as possible. Even without treatment, most of the symptoms improve after a few years, probably because the band of tissue behind the disk becomes scarred and functions like the original disk. If ankylosis freezes the jaw, the person may need surgery and in rare cases, an artificial joint to restore jaw mobility. SURGICAL TREATMENT In general it is recommended that non-surgical therapy be provided for a period of six months prior to consideration of surgery. When all else fails, removal or rearrangement of the parts offers a last opportunity to resolve the problem. A variety of surgical treatments have been suggested to achieve this ---- arthrocentesis, arthroplasty, condylotomy, condylectomy, high condylectomy (condylar shave) with and without replacement, and TMJ reconstruction. 1. ARTHROCENTESIS consists of anesthetizing the affected TMJ with local anesthetic followed by flushing the joint with a sterile solution such as Lactated Ringers Solution. A relatively simple in-office procedure that allows expansion of the joint space, lysis of adhesions and lavage via blind input and outflow catheters. The effect of TMJ arthrocentesis is to lubricate the joint surfaces and reduce inflammation. Corticosteroids or anti-inflammatory agents can be injected into the joint following arthrocentesis. Gentle manipulation of the jaw is often utilized following arthrocentesis to improve the jaw range of motion and in some cases lyse or break fibrous adhesions that limit normal jaw opening. Disadvantages include: lack of visualization, only limited ability to lyse adhesions, almost no ability to reposition the disk except via insufflation of the joint space and indirect manipulation. Many practicioners consider a diagnostic / therapeutic intracapsular injection to be a variant of arthrocentesis. In this case, there is no outflow catheter but medications may be instilled into the joint space and the capsule is certainly insufflated by the amount of fluid in the injection. The good results with this relatively risk-free procedure suggest that its use is preferable to arthroscopic or open surgery in the initial management of most patients with nonreducing or adherent discs. 2. ARTHOTOMY is the cutting into a joint or open joint surgery. Open joint surgery is done through an incision over the joint area in front of the ear. The incision usually extends from inside the sideburn area, then in front of the top of the ear, extending into the ear itself. The incision that extends into the ear is placed there to hide the incision from view. The flap is then brought forward to expose the underlaying layers. The fascial layer (fibrous membrane covering) is exposed and brought forward to expose the joint capsule. Once the capsule is opened exposing the disc, a full examination of joint can be made. Careful examination is performed of all the soft and bony tissue identifying displacement, perforations, rough surfaces, sharp edges, cavities or anatomical abnormalities. The disc is also examined for position, smoothness, and flexibility. After the surgery is complete, the joint incision is closed. The skin is closed with some dissolvable sutures and a dressing applied over the wound. A pressure bandage maybe applied to reduce the swelling. # Arthroplasty / Meniscoplasty / Discoplasty These procedures involve surgical repositioning of the meniscus (disc). This is an open joint procedure to correct or improve the contour of an intra-articular disc. If the disc is healthy enough, it is usually repaired (disc plication). Repair involves pulling the disc into a more normal position and holding it there with sutures (stitches). If the disc is abnormally stretched out it is “tightened” by taking a wedge of tissue out behind the disc and suturing the edges together. Repair of a perforated disc is sometimes performed if adequate soft tissue still exists. Condylotomy or fossaplasty or both are often performed in conjunction with arthroplasty. # Meniscectomy / Discectomy. The indications for meniscectomy/discectomy are irreparable disc perforation, function-impeding disc deformation, and extensive arthritic deterioration. Discectomy is an open joint procedure with complete removal of the intra-articular disc. A discectomy can be performed either without or with replacement of the disc. If the bony surfaces are very rough or if a great deal of bone has been eroded, a graft of the patient’s own tissue may be used as a substitute. The bony surfaces are examined and any excessively rough surfaces are smooth out with surgical files. There are a variety of autogenous grafts (your own tissue) that are used for disc replacements such as; temporalis fascia/muscle, fascia lata (hip), auricular cartilage (ear), dermis (skin). Using an autogenous graft usually requires an additional surgical site where the graft is harvested (taken). The use of alloplastic interpositional materials such as Silastic or Proplast-Teflon was originally reported to be highly successful, but subsequent studies showed that such implant under function produced a severe foreign body reaction associated with bone destruction and pain. As a result, these materials were withdrawn from the market. The condylar articular surface is recontoured to correct areas of arthritic change. On occasion, if additional joint space is required, a condylotomy or fossaplasty or both may be performed. # Condylotomy / Condyloplasty / Condylectomy. A condylotomy or condyloplasty is a surgical division or reshaping of the condyle, while a condylectomy is the surgical removal of the entire mandibular condyle. Condylotomy and condylectomy are performed infrequently. These procedures have been indicated for more complex disease or traumatic conditions. With these procedures, there can be more post-surgical complications, including marked occlusal changes. # Eminectomy / modified condylotomy / fossaplasty. Increasing the functional joint space (Superior joint decompression) may be accomplished by eminectomy. A prominent and steeply angulated eminence is often associated with meniscal (disc) displacement, so reduction of the eminence and a decrease of the incline of the posterior slope may serve to increase the anterior joint space. 3. ARTHROSCOPIC. Where patient is not a candidate for open surgery, arthroscopic surgery may be useful. A highly touted form of treatment in some surgeons hands and spurned by others, this modality allows visual access to the joint space. As a diagnostic tool it's greatest strength is the ability to "see" and record the state of the hard and soft tissues of the joint. Since the introduction of arthroscopic surgery of the TMJ in the 1980s, this modality has also been used extensively to treat anterior disc displacement with reduction. The arthroscope is a telescope-like (endoscope) instrument that is placed into the upper TMJ space through a very small incision directly in front of the ear, through which the contents of the joint can be reviewed. Arthroscopy allows direct observation of movement, photographic and video documentation, and sampling of the joint tissues for a biopsy. This procedure allows diagnosis and selection of appropriate therapy. Corrective procedures such as lysis (breaking up) of scar tissue and lavage (irrigating/washing out) or combining these methods with disc repositioning and stabilization by using cautery or sutures can also be preformed. 4. RECONSTRUCTION \ REPLACEMENT. Autologous or alloplastic reconstruction is employed when persistent active hyperplasia or tumours (neoplasia) necessitates condylectomy, when the condyle is lost in trauma, or when condylar agenesis or hypoplasia results in a deficient mandibular growth. The bony destruction of degenerative joint disease, rheumatoid arthritis or congenital fibrous ankylosis of the jaws occasionally is an indication for this procedure. A total joint replacement surgery requires two incisions on the face/neck. The upper incision is made over the joint area in front of the ear, the same as described for any open joint procedure. The lower incision is usually made in a skin crease on the neck in an attempt to camouflage the scar. This incision is made through the tissues of the neck until the mandible is encountered. This incision exposes the part of the lower jaw where the graft is screwed into place. The lower incision is connected to the upper incision through a tunnel under the tissues. Before any of the incisions are made, the patient’s jaws are wired together. This is done to immobilize the teeth and place the occlusion in the right position. Some surgeons choose to leave the patient wired for a few days to a week. Other surgeons will remove the fixation at the conclusion of the surgery. The condyle is cut off to allow room for the graft. The fossa (socket) is smoothed. The graft is then shaped and fit into position before it is attached to the lower jaw with bone screws. There are several different autogenous bony grafts that have been used in the repair of the TMJ. However, the costochondral (rib) graft has the longest, most extensive documentation as a substitute for the mandibular condyle. Alloplastic reconstruction of total TMJ can be done with Implants. Reconstruction may require the use of both the fossa and condylar prostheses, resurfacing, or replacement of two articular surfaces. In some instances the fossa may not be deficient but will need protection of its surface from the high load and erosive forces caused by the metal condylar prosthesis. Artificial TMJ device design is a delicate interaction between engineering considerations and principles, surgical technique and requirements, functional demand, anatomical boundary limitations and biocompatibility. TMJ total and partial (fossa only) joint replacement should be indicated for extremely rare cases. There have been some patients whose TMJ’s have reacted unfavorably to implant materials placed into them. This resulted in loss of bone over time leaving these patients with distorted joint anatomy, poor movement, and compromised jaw function. What are the other pain disorders that are confused with TMJ disorders? 1. TEMPORAL TENDINITIS has been called "The Migraine Mimic" because many symptoms are similar to migraine headache pain. Symptoms include: TMJ pain, ear pain and pressure, temporal headaches, cheek pain, tooth sensitivity, neck and shoulder pain. Treatment consists of injecting local anesthetics and other medications, a soft diet, using moist heat fermentations, muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory medications, physiotherapy, etc. Only rarely surgery is needed. 2. TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA 3. ERNEST SYNDROME. This TMJ-like problem involves the stylomandibular ligament. This is a tiny structure that connects the base of the skull with the mandibular (lower jaw). If injured, this structure can produce pain in regions of the face, head and neck, TMJ, ear, eye, throat (especially when swallowing), lower back teeth and jaw bone, etc. Treatment of Ernest syndrome, which is successful about 80% of the time, consists of injections of local anesthetic and medication (steroids), physiotherapy, the use of an intraoral splint, styliodectomy, etc. 4. OCCIPITAL NEURALGIA. This disorder is characterized by pain located in the cervical and posterior regions of the head (occipital areas), which may or may not radiate into the sides of the head and into the facial and frontal regions. There are two major types of occipital neuralgia: lesser occipital and greater occipital. The lesser type is more common. The symptoms are : the pain may or may not be limted to one side, pain radiation from back of the head onto the sides, temple, cheek or forehead, pain above and behind the eye, severe light sensitivity, nausea when pain is severe, and pain radiating into ear, shoulder and arm. http://members.rediff.com/dental/tmj.html
Ok thanks for clarifying it for everyone. Yeah I have ruled out surgery.The oral surgeon told me it has a very high unsuccesful rate plus I can't afford it unfortunately.I got checked out and have no disease or anything.I grind and have spasms though as stated before. I looked at these muscle relaxers from canada they are over the counter there.I checked it out and it's completely legal to have them shipped to me in the states.Any thoughts? http://www.canadapharmacy.com/cart/index.cfm?fuseaction=category_search&parentid=23
I've got the same problem with my jaw, and i use MonaVie. Check out the link under my post. itll tell you all about it. The stuff work wonders. If your interested send me an email [pm him if interested]
there are TMJ specialists out there and there is a special mouthpiece or retainer that they can make for you. i have TMJ, and had to go through all this crap when i was in 10th grade after an ass couldn’t tell the difference between a red jersey and a blue jersey at football practice. the retainer was clear and hardly noticeable. it took some time getting used to, but in the long run it helps. im not exactly sure of your situation and how it compared to mine, but the retainer they made was meant to slide my lower jaw forward which would then restrict movement. also you can't really grind your teeth when you have it in. it can be a lengthy process, but as time passes you won't have to wear the retainer as much. i haven't really worn mine, but on occasion and like ireland pointed out in his post; TMJ can be linked to headaches as was my case. as of now, the only time it really bothers me is when i have to go to the dentist for cleanings. some tips or advice they told me: -don't chew gum -no jawbreakers (lol) -stay away from tuff foods (steak) -cut food into small(er) portions -wear a mouthpiece during stressful/physical activities -don't open mouth too wide, there is probably a point where your jaw pops, so avoid that(yawning can be painful) i'll try and find the name of the retainer they had me use; i had literature about all this before, but im not sure where it is now. there comes a point in time where looking "cool" isn’t all that matters. you’re not my close friend/brother/or cousin so it’s not my place to say, but if i were you i'd put that mindset on the backburner and concentrate on your health. you can always take the device out of your mouth or not wear it when you’re going to be in a situation with a girl or place where you may be embarrassed. use some commonsense. sorry if i come across as an ahole, but its hard for me to understand why you wouldn’t want to help yourself...
Thx for the responces. Nah hade don't worry about it,I understand where your coming from.It's sad to hear it happened to you too.I do try to wear it but like I said it hurts more than it helps.It puts forced space between my top and bottom teeth and alot of times it felt like it would almost come out of socket or become dislocated.Tmj lockjaw I think is what I'm reffering to. Nah it's not an image thing.I don't have a girl right now besides I look just as stupid without it lol.I do thing it looks dumb but if I saw noticable help I would wear it.I have had 3 and none felt right. @codo69 I'm not a muppet or big bird,I don't fall for that type of link.I bet if I drink it I'll lose 50 pounds in one day too lol.I don't know if your just trying to scam me or really trying to help.I would like to see the ingredients to that and know what exactly is it that helps so much.
CODO69, Posting email addies and advertising aren't allowed in the forum so if you'd kindly remove the link from your sig and have a peek at the forum rules I'd appreciate it
if you read many journal articles on the subject you will quickly see that oral splints are not a cure for grinding (bruxism) in fact in many cases they aggravate the problem and make it much worse, as is the case in my situation. After being treated for 2 years by a so called 'TMJ disorder specialist', with an upper tooth splint my bruxism is at it's worst ever (the large hard plastic splint gives me something to bite against, hence i clench and grind even more! and still wake with headaches!), constant headaches, earaches, neck and back pain, photosensitivity and enlarged masseters leading to enlarged jaw appearance. there doesn't seem to be anything that can be done to help me, all sorts of various medications i have tried, tranquilizers, anti inflammatories, muscle relaxants all to no avail, the situation is now very bad
Damn, I heard that this tmj could be nasty; I know that jaw pain can be. I have a lot of nerve damage in the neck from a bad accident many years ago and sometimes the pain gets into my jaw because the nerves radiate pain or some such thing. It can get pretty nasty and with me, its just referred pain, I don't have tmj. I don't envy you guys that.
