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TMJ questions

Posted by Pammy @pammyl66, Jun 7, 2015

I clench my teeth at night which has resulted in severe TMJ. I have seen dentist, ortho and medical doctors. I am on Zoloft to help reduce stress and I have a custom mouth guard. My problem is none of this is working. I find if I wear my guard I seem to clench harder, if I don't my tongue has teeth imprints on the end from pressing against my bottom teeth. I don't know what to do. This is miserable pain in jaws, neck and ear pain and headaches. My jaw locks up from time to time and my throat even gets sore. Muscles and probably gets scratched because I can't chew my food properly. Please Help! This has been going on well over 2 years....

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animallover25 | @animallover25 | Jan 14 2:57pm

I have had TMD for awhile now. I live in Ohio and I go to a specialist for sleep apnea in Ky at the Oral Facial Pain Clinic at University of Kentucky and have a special mouthpiece for that, as I didn't do well with the CPAP machine. For my TMD, I go to Physical Therapy and they have given me home exercises for my neck and jaw and the Physical Therapist massages inside my mouth and that helps a lot. I eat softer foods and not as many crunchy food or chewy type foods. I have found heat helps me. I had to go without my sleep apnea mouthpiece/mouthguard for 6 months due to a crown breaking in the front of my mouth. My TMD got worse, I was having horrible ear aches and facial pain/joint pain. My mouthpiece has helped the TMD some, still have some pain. I have been putting my tongue on the roof of my mouth and keeping my teeth apart during the day and that is helping a lot. My Physical Therapist instructed me to do that. A massage therapist might help, I love getting massages. I love getting accupressure massages.

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wilsond | @wilsond | Jan 15 5:27am
In reply to @animallover25 "@wilsond I have throat issues also and coughing. Throat clearing for me was acid reflux. Have..." + (show)
Profile picture for animallover25 @animallover25

@wilsond I have throat issues also and coughing. Throat clearing for me was acid reflux. Have you been seen for acid reflux? You can see a Gastroenterologist. Change your diet, don't eat spicy foods or cut back on eating tomatoes, anything with acid in it. Occasionally, I will take a digestive enzyme when I eat out to help with any tummy issues. The cough, I would mention to your primary care Dr, they may want to order a CT/X-ray of your chest to make sure nothing else is going on. The Gastro Dr. can do an upper endoscopy and take a sample and send it to the lab for testing to make sure nothing else is happening. I have had many of those and it is very helpful to get that done. I have also used aloe vera leaf juice with juice in the morning and that helped me with the cough and throat clearing, before I knew what all was going on. Research acid reflux and foods to avoid online and avoid or cut back on eating those foods, that has helped me a lot. I have medicine-Pantoprazole when I get uncomfortable and need to take it. I don't take it regularly, as I avoid eating spicy foods and have cut back on eating tomatoes and other foods. Hope this helps!

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@animallover25 Hello there and thank you very for responding to my issues. You gave an interesting summary on this and I will be definitely taking your advice and researching your suggestions. 🫶

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wegn1963 | @wegn1963 | Jan 17 11:56pm
In reply to @wilsond "@wegn1963. I had TMJ in the 80's and had four teeth removed. One on each side..." + (show)
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@wegn1963. I had TMJ in the 80's and had four teeth removed. One on each side at the very back. This fixed the problem totally. My dentist said they wouldn't pull those teeth today but not sure what they offer today. Good luck and take care.

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I’m having numbness in my jaw this tmj or tmd is really taking its toll

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bootblack | @bootblack | Jan 18 6:39pm

I have always clenched my teeth. Bite guards are expensive and end up being completely out in the hallway. Some destroyed by pets or tossed in napkins at restaurants. I've only had one good one and could not keep it adjusted. I'm 86 next week. Do you think you can find an orthodontist who does botox. I'm told the difficulty is getting insurance to pay for it. I haven't found one near enough. Maybe just a pipe dream. But you asked 😉

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2 replies
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wegn1963 | @wegn1963 | Jan 19 12:11pm
In reply to @bootblack "I have always clenched my teeth. Bite guards are expensive and end up being completely out..." + (show)
Profile picture for bootblack @bootblack

I have always clenched my teeth. Bite guards are expensive and end up being completely out in the hallway. Some destroyed by pets or tossed in napkins at restaurants. I've only had one good one and could not keep it adjusted. I'm 86 next week. Do you think you can find an orthodontist who does botox. I'm told the difficulty is getting insurance to pay for it. I haven't found one near enough. Maybe just a pipe dream. But you asked 😉

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@bootblack good points but I’m worried Botox will make me puff up like some of those movie stars!
I hope you can eat the things you want. It’s been a long time here. Thanks for your input!

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linda1976 | @linda1976 | Jan 22 10:08am
In reply to @wegn1963 "I just posted but will add to it that I don’t have pain. I use heat..." + (show)
Profile picture for wegn1963 @wegn1963

I just posted but will add to it that I don’t have pain. I use heat and I did do tensing; which is not effective for me anymore.
I wear the mouthguard at night and I still feel the clicking
I just want relief!

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@wegn1963
I have TMJ also and I too have a mouth guard. My jaws have locked before and are always clicking. I have to be careful when I yawn or they can lock up. My worst pain has been a bad taste in my mouth all the time. I've went to all kinds of doctors and dentists. I just went to a Specialist yesterday who told me to go to UCLA mouth pain. So, I will let you know how that goes if I ever get in.

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wegn1963 | @wegn1963 | Jan 22 2:32pm
In reply to @linda1976 "@wegn1963 I have TMJ also and I too have a mouth guard. My jaws have locked..." + (show)
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@wegn1963
I have TMJ also and I too have a mouth guard. My jaws have locked before and are always clicking. I have to be careful when I yawn or they can lock up. My worst pain has been a bad taste in my mouth all the time. I've went to all kinds of doctors and dentists. I just went to a Specialist yesterday who told me to go to UCLA mouth pain. So, I will let you know how that goes if I ever get in.

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@linda1976 I am going to to a lady that says she can treat tmj. My jaw is stiff now almost a numb feeling too

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wegn1963 | @wegn1963 | Jan 22 4:05pm
In reply to @wegn1963 "I just posted but will add to it that I don’t have pain. I use heat..." + (show)
Profile picture for wegn1963 @wegn1963

I just posted but will add to it that I don’t have pain. I use heat and I did do tensing; which is not effective for me anymore.
I wear the mouthguard at night and I still feel the clicking
I just want relief!

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@wegn1963 I use an upper mouthguard. It helps the no clicking and locking
My jaw feels like when a dentist numbs you and it never goes away if that makes sense

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linda1976 | @linda1976 | Jan 22 5:45pm
In reply to @wegn1963 "@linda1976 I am going to to a lady that says she can treat tmj. My jaw..." + (show)
Profile picture for wegn1963 @wegn1963

@linda1976 I am going to to a lady that says she can treat tmj. My jaw is stiff now almost a numb feeling too

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@wegn1963

Where is she at?? I am in California.

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