btb@ncoast.UUCP (Brad Banko) (10/27/86)
Has anybody else had any experience with TMJ pain... aka temporo mandibular joint syndrome... this is the joint between your jaw and your skull which articulates just in front of your ears... I have had this type of pain, and it can be very annoying, if not scary... I think that it is supposed to be related to tension and stress, but I also think that it may be related to having had orthodontics at one time or another... I have seen several different medical types... ENT men, dentists, etc., but none of them seem to have any answers... it's either "in your head", or is "nothing to worry about"... easy enough for them to say, eh? You are the one who has to live with it... Thanks, -- Brad Banko ...!decvax!cwruecmp!ncoast!btb Cleveland, Ohio
spear@ihlpf.UUCP (Spearman) (10/28/86)
> Has anybody else had any experience with TMJ pain... aka temporo mandibular > joint syndrome... this is the joint between your jaw and your skull which > articulates just in front of your ears... I have had this type of pain, and > it can be very annoying, if not scary... I think that it is supposed to be > related to tension and stress, but I also think that it may be related to > having had orthodontics at one time or another... I have seen several different WARNING: 3rd hand, medical hearsay follows: If you put your finger in your ear, then open and close your jaw, you will hear a definite and obnoxious clicking if your mandible is not seating correctly. This can be a cause of TMJ pain. One treatment I have heard of is to exercise the muscles related to the jaw to strengthen them and presumably help the jaw be held in place better. The exercises are things like jutting your jaw forward and back against mild resistance (e.g. your hand). Steve Spearman ihnp4!ihlpf!spear
wws@sfsup.UUCP (Bill Stoll) (10/29/86)
> Has anybody else had any experience with TMJ pain... aka temporo mandibular > joint syndrome... this is the joint between your jaw and your skull which > articulates just in front of your ears... > -- > Brad Banko > ...!decvax!cwruecmp!ncoast!btb > Cleveland, Ohio There is an article in the Nov/Dec '86 issue of _Self_Care_ about TMJ. It says that several dentists and chiropractors "specialize" in TMJ. They also listed some references that you may be interested in. I've included them below; please note however that I have no idea whether they are worth the electrons they are printed with. "Killing Pain Without Prescription" by Harold Gelb, D.M.D. and Paula Siegel, 1982, 247 pages, $7.95 postpaid from Barnes and Noble, 105 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10003. A discussion of TMJ for the layperson. Includes causes and symptoms, self-help exercises, relaxation techniques, and nutritional recommendations. "Jam Joints and Allied Musculo-Skeletal Disorders Foundation, Inc." (JJAMD), c/o Milton and Renee Glass, 790 Boylston St., suite 17-H, Boston, MA 02199. Self-help group for TMJ sufferers. They provide information, referrals, and group meetings. -- Bill Stoll ihnp4!attunix!wws
bill@sigma.UUCP (William Swan) (10/29/86)
In article <1638@ncoast.UUCP> btb@ncoast.UUCP (Brad Banko) writes: >Has anybody else had any experience with TMJ pain... aka temporo mandibular >joint syndrome... [...] I have had this type of pain, and >it can be very annoying, if not scary... [...] I have (suffered from) TMJ also. I had orthodontic work done 14 years ago, apparently a mis-alignment of the teeth was causing some jaw "dislocation".. this might have been the onset but the orthodontist didn't mention it. I went to a TMJ specialist about two years ago. I'd suffered occasional pains for several years, most often a severe cramp in the jaw most times I yawned. I really don't remember much of what he said then, but he has become my "regular" dentist and thereby is keeping an eye. I seem to recall that surgery could become required if measures aren't taken soon enough. What I had to do was to learn to not keep my teeth clenched shut all the time, to modify the relaxed posture to one with the jaw (not necessarily the mouth) slightly open. Not an easy change..especially when you're under stress. It's amazing how much difference that makes.. I've experienced the jaw cramp perhaps twice in the past six months, as opposed to almost daily before. The specialist noted that I had had orthodontic work done, but made nothing of it beyond that. I will be seeing him again in a couple weeks. If there are any questions you want answered, let me know.
cetron@utah-cs.UUCP (Edward J Cetron) (11/01/86)
My wife had TMJ quite bad for several years, the bottom line (after much research, pain, consultations....) 1. In many cases (but NOT all) there are no major secondary problems (like your jaw falling off :-) ) except the pain. 2. Stress has a LOT to do with exacerbating the pain/problem. 3. In many cases learning to relax the jaw muscles will help immensely. 4. Grind your teeth (such as at night) or clenching your teeth are very bad. 5. To counter act 4., my wife used a 'bite plate' or some such to keep her from grinding her teeth. 6. I have heard of muscle relaxants being perscribed also to relieve 4. though she didn't need any. 7. In serious malformation cases, surgery is indicated. the good news is: 1. there are several 'non-quack' DDS's specializing in TMJ 2. since she stopped grinding her teeth, there has been very little pain. -ed cetron center for biomedical design Univ of Utah
jsdy@hadron.UUCP (Joseph S. D. Yao) (11/06/86)
In article <829@ihlpf.UUCP> spear@ihlpf.UUCP (Spearman) writes: >> Has anybody else had any experience with TMJ pain... aka temporo mandibular >> joint syndrome... >> ... I think that it is supposed to be >> related to tension and stress, ... I had an episode of this, and was told that "bruxing," or grinding my teeth together, was causing this. First, I was given a prescrip- tion for a muscle relaxant/tranquilizer. This kept me from grinding my teeth while I was asleep. Second, I found that a leak in the room where I was staying was chilling me at night (I hadn't noticed!), and when I moved so did this problem. It hasn't recurred. BTW, for most acronyms there really is no one definitive reference; but the expansion in the Subject: line is what I've most often heard. Many acronyms have more than one expansion (CVA, e.g.), and many phrases have more than one acronym (EKG/ECG). -- Joe Yao hadron!jsdy@seismo.{CSS.GOV,ARPA,UUCP} jsdy@hadron.COM (not yet domainised)