TMJ questions

I have had TMJ since I was pre-teen, but not treated until college when my jaw locked up. I have worn a mouthguard for 30 years. About 15 years ago, I began having episodic migraine, which I haven't had since I was a young teenager. The migraines became daily and chronic 10 years ago. I am now 50. I had to quit work at 40 and am still fighting for disability benefits. For daily migraine, some of which is caused by TMJ, I receive botox, trigger point injections, Rf nerve ablation, counseling, psychiatry, acupuncture, biofeedback, PT, CT Scans, MRIs. I see a specialized dentist and take many supplements, herbs, essential oils. My neuro suggested I see a particular PT, and it has given me 1-2 low-pain days per week! I do daily jaw exercises, and put heat on my jaw, near my ears. I have a ThermaZone machine that provides heat. Cold is not recommended on the jaw joint, but I use the cold setting of ThermaZone on my eyes and forehead for head pain. An MRI recently revealed arthritis in my jaw, as well as lower in my back, along with buldging discs. The jaw arthritis is one of several causes of my migraine, ear pain, jaw pain. My dentist used computer imagery to test my jaw, and half my jaw was doing all the work. Using the computer, he was able to precisely file down ever so slightly problem areas on the tooth surfaces; he evened out my bite and jaw so that both sides worked equally. My neuro prescribed baclofen and tizanidine. The cyclobenzaprine (flexaril) I had been taking apparently doesn't work above the neck. The PT, heat, and meds worked for a while, but I had to give up my long-term custom mouthguard because, coincidentally, my teeth started rapidly shufting. I now have invisalign braces (traditional braces would have stressed my jaw too much.) I have had to stop wearing my mouthguard, and my jaw hurts now a lot more. But my PT is adjusting treatment, and we are working to get back on track. In 2 years I will have my teeth and jaw re-calibrated by the computer, and I will get a new mouthguard for clenching. I no longer get a 1-2 days/week reprieve from migraine, but in the long-run I should do better. A good habit to develop is to always have your tongue itouching the roof of your mouth at all times, except while eating or talking. Also, try not to have your back teeth touch top-to-bottom, That will help you not clench during the day. Try baclofen and tizanidine to relax your facial muscles. Tizanidine is a strong muscle relaxant that kicks in immediately; instant sleep. It can also cause hallucinations in high doses, so start slow and if you are bothered by side effects, your neuro will help you taper down safely and carefully to a manageable dose. I worked my way up to 4 Tizanidine at bed, then cut back to only 2 pills. I take 2 baclofen pills 4x/day. TMJ does not "go away." I thought mine had disappeared thanks to the mouth guard, but it simply shifted from facial pain to severe, debilitating head/ear pain. The dentist also did a 360 degree xray, and he also could see the arthritis in the jaw, as well as a stuck, flattened disc. I get botox in my jaw joints now, and a practitioner uses dry needling and e-stim (electric stimulation) in the muscles of my jaw. The dry needling did not work well for me, but with e-stim, my jaw muscles twitch away. They have been frozen for so long, they need help learning to move again. TMD, the new way to refer to what used to be called TMJ, requires many specialists depending on symptoms. I go to a pain clinic, specialized dentist, neuro (who specializes in headache), PT, and practitioner of e-stim. I am on pills for anxiety, depression, muscle relaxants. I take narcotics twice per week, and migraine-specific abortive and preventative drugs. I was told by neuro NOT to see a chiropracter, as there is a risk of stroke when the neck/jaw is involved. The PT focuses on muscles and joints, and gently massages my jaw from the inside and outside of my mouth. She manipulates my head and neck gently with stretches. I wish you all the best. TMD is a serious, debilitating illness, that is not often covered by insurance. I use a combo of medical and dental insurance, plus out-of-pocket expenses. I hope my story helps you.

Hi @lustarr and all.... just a quick note as noticed this just now: I have had TMJ/TMD over the years and then my adult daughter got it. Both had night guards made but I cant wear one... anyway, long story short, both she and I are on/were on Zoloft for over 15 years and I just wanted to cut and paste one article re Zoloft and other antidepressants and TMJ if that is OK. You could do a search too ... this was just the first result I got. She is still on Zoloft and is getting by with night guard. I am now off Zoloft and having lots of jaw and ear pain, tinnitus etc. too long to repeat here; recently at a new dentist, he felt my jaw when mouth open and shut and said: great, jaw is moving nice and smooth? What???? Well then my pain in that area is from something else then..here we go again! J. p.s. Hope this may help someone somewhere if applies.

Paste:
Drug-induced TMD:

In the last few years, research has shown that Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) medications such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, and Celexa may cause clenching and grinding of the teeth in patients who have never done this before and will increase these behaviors (both frequency and intensity) in those known to clench or grind their teeth.

This side effect is relatively unknown to physicians, although we continue to educate them when we can. If your jaw pain / headache symptoms started a few weeks to a month or two after you started taking one of these medications, we would suggest you alert your physician to this, as the symptoms could well be related to the drugs.

Wow. I too was diagnosed with TMJ in my 20s because my jaw locked up a few times while just talking and eating. I did go to the dentist but nothing in particular worked except learning biofeedback and rubbing the jaw. I’m now 67 and my dentist fitted me with a mouth guard on my lower teeth I was told I should contemplate wearing it throughout the day. I haven’t tried this yet but after my last visit he informed me that my jaw has now become arthritic thus the nagging ear and neck pain. I was on all types of meds in my 30 and 40s but including gabapentin and 200 mg of celebrex which gave me GERD. So Tylenol is the one of the only meds I take now along with 100 mg of celebrex and intermittent flexaril to relieve the muscle spasms in my shoulders and ultimately jaw. I don’t know if any other methods to alleviate the pain so hope it doesn’t get any worse. I know I’m kidding myself. God bless and I pray we find something that will help the pain and osteo degenerative process.

After I was diagnosed with TMJ and was referred to a dentist to make a splint for my mouth, I got burning mouth syndrome. The oral surgeon thought I was just alergic to the acrylic splint. I could not wear a splint for several months. However, after many different doctor visits, that the burning mouth was triggered by anxiety. My doctor first prescribed Zoloft and I tried for only a few days and I was clenching my teeth harder. I quit that and my doctor tried me on Paxil....same thing. We settled on buspar but it doesn't really completely get rid of my anxiety. So I still get burning mouth but am able to sleep with the splint at night. My question is that my jar is still not right and would like to know if anyone has gotten TMJ surgery?

Sorry, I don’t have any suggestions/recommendations for your jaw/TMJ. However, I suffer from extreme burning tongue syndrome, have you found any solutions/remedies to help with the pain?

Sorry, I don’t have any suggestions/recommendations for your jaw/TMJ. However, I suffer from extreme burning tongue syndrome, have you found any solutions/remedies to help with the pain?

...I feel like I am the bearer of bad news many times, although I am looking for answers and do try and offer help where I can: my new family doctor did not believe I was on Zoloft for 15 to 20 years , along with Clonazepam/Rivotril/Klonopin same things I think: anyway, since he left town I have found "proof"...years ago we didnt get copies of tests or doctor's file but I do now, thing is I now have too much!

anyway , may I respectfully suggest , as you have been on Zoloft for so long , that you also check with your optometrist? I could "cut and past" but there is plenty of info about it on Internet: saying that Zoloft "MAY" lead to narrow angle closure Glaucoma - which is what was diagnosed with, and I have no proof it was the Zoloft but its there in black and white that it is a possibility.

I think maybe third time I have said it on here (apologies) but feel so strongly about it: when having yearly eye exam to ask for eye pressure to be taken (its painless and fast) and also have a "field of vision" test which is also short and easy where you look into a darkened box and click a button when you see a little light....they are checking peripheral vision, and I was told by the Specialist (top of department) that the field of vision test is super important in diagnoses of Glaucoma ... even my youngest adult daughter, her optometrist doesn't do this and "should."

Not negating the success of anti-depressants, and my other daughter also has been on Zoloft 20 years , but they have different side effects on different people/short term or long ter. This "specialist" also was asked by my Pharmacist if I could take Wellbutrin and the Specialist wrote back NO - not until I had an Iridotomy laser to eyes, which I did few years later. But, please, not tyrying to frighten you, but its because I ALREADY HAD NARROW ANGLE GLAUCOMA yet doctors were still prescribing eye pressure raising medications, saying, oh its OK... it isn't OK and I still have to be wary. I think if I was younger and could afford a lawyer.... well, I am not and I cant.... I might have pursued. I lived with the stress of not even being able to take Steroid nose drops, anti depressants, even some mundane meds just because they raise eye pressure once I was advise my vision was at risk, and then my family wonders why I was anxious for so long. However, some people can take just about any meds and no side effects: how fortunate they are! J.