Could this be TMJ? Please help. This is unbearable.
Posted , 5 users are following.
I am so lost at what is causing this. It's either my neck, my jaw, or both. I was told by the dentist that I grind my teeth and I notice that I tend to clench my jaw a lot. But these symptoms I am having are making it unbearable.
These are my symptoms: Extreme tightness in the back of the head/neck region and behind the jaw. I feel as if my head is going to pop. Sometimes it tightens for a few seconds then let's go - almost as if it clenches or spasms. My jaw feels heavy. It causes me migraines/headaches. When I wake up in morning, I have headaches. I only find relief when I lay forward on my stomach with my hands under my chin; but as soon as I stand up, I'm paying for it because it's horrible again. The heaviness, the aching, the tightness (worst).
Please, for the love of all things holy, can someone help me? I have asked a dentist in the past if it were possible I had TMJ and the only thing he said was "if so, there's nothing that can be done."
I cannont stand to be like this anymore. It is driving me to the brink. This is the absolute worst feeling and I even have chronic inner ear disorders that cause 24/7 dizziness and I would gladly choose that over this tightness in my neck/jaw.
Oh, and massaging only works while I'm massaging. As soon as I stop, it immediately returns within a second. I've had MRI with contrast of brain and entire spine as well that were normal.
I'm lost. I'm begging at this point. Thank you.
0 likes, 7 replies
lily65668 Hayhue
Posted
It's not true that nothing can be done about it! I've never had it myself but I've heard of lots of people being helped. However, you need to see a maxillofacial surgeon (sometimes called an oral surgeon in the US I believe). I presume you are aware that TMJ is one of the causes of dizziness and even full-on vertigo?
amkoffee Hayhue
Posted
As the other commenter said it absolutly can be helped but not by a maxillofacial surgeon. Rather you need to see a dentist that specializes in TMJ. I know this because my dentist just diagnoised me with TMJ and referred me to a TMJ specialist and he is a dentist. And let me tell you I am in PAIN! My neck hurts, I get horrible headaches, my ear hurts and it's painful to eat. I don't get all those other symptoms you've mentioned but it can be different for differnet people. And I grind my teeth too. BTW I use Excedrine MIgraine for the headaches and neck pain.
Now for the bad news, treatment is not covered by dental insurance and it's expensive. I was quoted by the guy I'm seeing a cost for everything of $2300. I'm going to have to put it on Care Credit. Which is a credit card for dental work.
But another treatment which I will tell you about that the specialist said was bad for your teeth but it only costs about $15-$20 or even less. You can buy a mouth guard that you wear in your mouth at night to keep you from grinding your teeth.They are similar to the mouthpieces that football players wear. They are a mouthful but they work for a lot of people. I have tried that method and I have bought several different kinds over the years but I can't keep them in my mouth while I'm sleeping. Hopefully you can.
I would sure like to know what that dentist was thinking. TMJ is a normal problem of the jaw and has known treatments that have been around for decades. I can't understand why he would blow you off like that.
Good luck on your problem.
mo-jas Hayhue
Posted
hi again hayhue..
how'd the epilepsy thing go 4 months ago?? you were going to come back to us and let us know after your appointment but we never saw you again. just been back and i see the final post was one of mine to you. i hope you found some sort of resolution to that issue.
coincidentally, the same accident that gifted me epilepsy also k/o'd my tmj.. i've had 30+ years of uk-style tmj treatment and can absolutely tell you that lily's spot-on in what she says ..dentists can be helpful re conservative treatment but max-fax is the way to go if it is anything beyond teeth grinding (bruxism) causing stress damage. one thought.. go check a diagram of the musculature relating to the tmj - i'm sure you'll be surprised by how extensive and developed it is. by size, the tmj has to waaaaay outperform any other joint in the body, which includes taking more of a pounding! perhaps you could see if areas of your pain match up in any way ..that could at least give you a pointer.
i had a first op to reshape the jawbone end of the socket in '86, other minor surgeries along the way and finished with a total tmj replacement in 2015 - with respect to amkoffee i must add that much as i love them the dentist's done nothing except some 'groundwork' to the max-fax department's specs! i'm not suggesting yours is at that level but for obvious reasons i've had an interest in the subject and the number of times i come across people brushed off by dentists saddens me. i've been in the hands of mxillo facial since day one and am grateful for that. loads of people suffer from tmj disruption ..i think around 10% have treatment of any sort and a very small number of those have to have surgical intervention. that can come as anything from flushing the joint to totally relacing it. first tho, you've got to know what you're up against.
good luck on the hunt for the answer to that one!
mo
mo-jas
Posted
.."the jawbone end of the socket"??
..(of all people i should have known to say "the condyle"
..lol
Hayhue mo-jas
Posted
Hello,
Epilepsy was a no-go. Neurologist blew me off so I didn't have anything to report, sadly.
I have trouble remembering if I've posted or not as I have a bad memory from all the cognitive issues i.e. brain fog. I apologize.
Thank you for all of your information! I appreciate it.
mo-jas Hayhue
Posted
you're more than welcome hayhue ..i'm so sorry to hear that you didn't have any success with the neurologist ..hope you have a better outcome this time.
good luck!
luvteacakes Hayhue
Posted
Hi there
please read my post from today. I am the same - god the tightness in my neck i think someone is strangling me! Ive had this for a year and it is unbearable some days. Yes my dizziness was awful - haven't got it at mo but I had it every day for weeks and weeks. Sometimes the tightness in my head and neck brought on panic attacks- really horrible. Ive had a camera up nose and down throat and MRI - nothing thank god, found. I have a mouth guard to wear at night - doesn't make a lot of difference. I am going to see a chiropractor a week on Thurs. I will do anything, i mean ANYTHING to get my life back. I feel for you - I am slowly going whoopsy daisy over this!!