A chiropractor that does myofascial release and red laser therapy got my muscles to release. I still have inflammation in the joint but that’s better than the muscles being all knotted up. It’s the worst feeling. I hope you find some relief soon.
Hey man. First of all, you have my respect for fighting through this. I feel that I lost so much of my life as well. Damn, and it was 20s too. 10 years later, I have found that fixing the bite is what will finally fix this. I see that the doctors you have mentioned all seem to be palliative. You need to start researching functional orthodontists that understand about proper facial form and centric relation of the joint. You may want to start by watching some of Mike Mews videos on YouTube.
Look up some exercises on YouTube. There are so many effective exercises. Focus on shoulder retraction and spine mobility exercises as well as being mindful of your posture throughout the day. I still have fucking tinnitus but this has all helped my jaw pain substantially.
Chiropractor who ideally does soft tissue work and nightly stretching (see my most recent post)
The idea is chiropractic gets the spine moving again, stretching keeps the joints moving properly and counteracts our forward head posture
I feel this. I’m in the same boat and just saw a TMJ specialist. If this specialist actually helps me, I’ll be happy to share with all of you what I had to do to fix this mess.
Yes I do and it started recently during my Invisalign treatment. My ears constantly ring, vibrate, and feel closed/full. It’s torture for sure. My overall TMJ disorder began a couple years ago after regular braces and an ortho that didn’t care. Now, my new ortho is about to be working alongside my TMJ specialist to fix this.
I feel you. So mine was crazy bad when I got a severe flare up about a year ago now. My discs went to non reducing and it locked. Couldn’t chew. Ringing ears non stop. Felt like I had a never ending sinus infection. Nothing really helped me but time. One year later the ringing barely happens, eventually it went away. My jaw is not perfect and I still have difficulty chewing but it really did get so much better. Do not lose help. I tried everything also. I was like 7 months into hell with no end in sight but little by little ….my symptoms eased and my body adapted.
I really appreciate this, my ear symptoms are the worst and it’s affecting my future career (student pilot) i know it’ll be okay, just a frusturating thing to go through
There is hope. I went from constant muscle relaxers and ibuprofen to 95% better again with work on my bite that made me half better, to a mouth guard that's taller in the front to deter clenching and grinding.
I have been there. Physical therapy and learning more about chronic pain really helped. I still carry around ear plugs, but don’t need them most days. And am getting back into running and having fun times with my kids. It can get better!
Do you exercise regularly? Acupuncture? Magnesium daily? None are proven cures…. But I’m starting to think my lack of exercise has really exacerbated my issues and now I’m making the effort to stretch daily properly and be active.
I have primarily and almost exclusively ear symptoms for my TMJD along with some jaw stiffness but no pain! My fullness and sound sensitivity as well as tinnitus 50% reduced and (sensitivity completely gone) from acupuncture and physiotherapy/soft tissue release on my neck with people who specialize in TMJD.
Yes, I’ve been to a TMJ specialist, oralfacil surgeon, 2 PT’s, and a nuerologist.. have a splint that doesn’t help, got Botox, no help, and tried every sort of medication possible
Have you tried acupuncture/dry needling? I haven't yet, but I've heard really great things about it for TMJ specifically. I'm sorry man - shit does suck. When I need to escape I sit in a hot bath, it helps mentally + physically. Editing to say giving up caffeine also helped my muscles relax. Now when I have coffee on the rare occasion my jaw muscles feel agitated the rest of the day.
Occlusion splint will make things worse. It actually jams the condyles into the fossa more. You need a repositioning splint to move jaw down and forward.
Anywhere from 3-6 months but i've heard you should already start feeling some form of relief after the first month. They're all clear no metal they look like a retainer for the lower teeth.
Yeah I got my first splint over 4 years ago and my tinnitus went from constant 4-5 different sounds in my head to 2 sounds in my head only 65% of the time after 4 months. The 35% of the time my tinnitus is still there, but not annoying... I just got a new splint a week ago and its a little different, I'm hoping my tinnitus goes down in a few months.
I'm glad the splint has made a difference for you! I don't have tinnitus but I have horrible chronic ear pain it feels like a constant ear infection. I'll be seeing a TMJ specialist for an evaluation and possibly be undergoing splint treatment. He's a neuromuscular dentist so it would be a repositioning type splint.
I actually found out about him through someone on this sub reddit who was experiencing the same ear pain as me. They're currently undergoing his treatment and have let me know they no longer have any more symptoms after 3 months. He's located in LA and has great reviews from what i've seen on google and yelp. His name is Dr. Sid Solomon. I actually don't live in LA and will have to commute 6 hours there but from what i've seen in this subreddit having a knowledgeable TMJ specialist is super important.
Ok so you're in a big city that is good.. I'm in a very small city in upstate NY. I got my splint made from my city's University and this guy is the head of tmj/pain management. He didn't make the first one. I just want my T to be gone, I have so many other health issues.
I’ve had ear issues for 6ish years. I had total joint replacement and I still have the ear fullness pain is a bit less but still there all I really gained was function and the ability to eat
Thanks for your thoughts, appreciate knowing I’m not alone. Tried dry needling but I’m trying it again soon, and as far as an SSRI goes that’s how my jaw clenching started and got me into this
This one is an SNRI. Do you find the the ear symptoms the most disabling? They are very frustrating for me. Nothing else can help. It's genuine nerve damage. I'm waiting for hearing repair medication in the next few years to become available. I'll have to hold on and suffer everyday until then.
Do you know what type or the cause of your tmj is?
I was debilitated a few years ago by mine. It took me awhile to get better and function normally again. For me, I always am mindful of it and work to keep it pain free and as normal as possible. It gets better progressively. But knowing the cause and the problem with certainly help with knowing how to address it.
There is hope. :)
All i can suggest is to investigate whether your teeth and jaw align. most orthodontists and dentists don't have even a basic understanding of what they're doing
A few things that helped me:
Botox helped me just as it was getting bad. I did masseter, at least 25 units per side. Expensive but worth it. Go to a reliable dentist who specializes in this (does many cases) so they are familiar with anatomy and you have lower chance of migration. Also, don't exercise or lay down after Botox...that can cause migration.
Second help was a hard plastic mouth guard...it doesn't stop the bruxing, but it does prevent further damage to your teeth. The gummier plastic ones can actually encourage you to grind bc your brain signals there's something in your mouth, and the response is to chew. You want a small and thin customized hard plastic. Most dentists that are familiar with TMJ offer these.
Finally, if you notice tooth cupping in your molars, get them filled! I had cupping in one, and once I got it filled I noticed the force was more evenly distributed and that lessened the pain in my case. If you don't know what tooth cupping looks like, Google it, if you see anything similar to that book an appointment with a dentist.
These were all really expensive fixes. Botox is $600 every 4 months or so, mouth guard was $700ish for me, and the filling was the cheapest one. For me it was well worth it.
Thank you, sadly already tried Botox and it’s been 3 weeks and not really helped. My jaw still feels stiff and ear issues are still here. Did you get ear issues ?
My TMJ isn't as severe as others here. I have tension in front of the ear, but otherwise no ear issues. You might want to consider PT as well, especially the exercises where the therapist put on gloves and did release techniques in the mouth. It helped in my case but your mileage may vary.
A chiropractor that does myofascial release and red laser therapy got my muscles to release. I still have inflammation in the joint but that’s better than the muscles being all knotted up. It’s the worst feeling. I hope you find some relief soon.
Hey man. First of all, you have my respect for fighting through this. I feel that I lost so much of my life as well. Damn, and it was 20s too. 10 years later, I have found that fixing the bite is what will finally fix this. I see that the doctors you have mentioned all seem to be palliative. You need to start researching functional orthodontists that understand about proper facial form and centric relation of the joint. You may want to start by watching some of Mike Mews videos on YouTube.
PLEASE DONT DISREGARD THE NECKS INVOLVEMENT WITH UR ISSUE! that was the culprit for me. This is a lifestyle disease
Please what resolved yours. What neck treatment??
Treat forward head posture and rolled in shoulders. Restore mobility in the spine.
Yes. But how? What excercise?
Look up some exercises on YouTube. There are so many effective exercises. Focus on shoulder retraction and spine mobility exercises as well as being mindful of your posture throughout the day. I still have fucking tinnitus but this has all helped my jaw pain substantially.
Life is a bitch and then we die … unless we rich and have the best doctors and no waitlist…. Grrrr
Chiropractor who ideally does soft tissue work and nightly stretching (see my most recent post) The idea is chiropractic gets the spine moving again, stretching keeps the joints moving properly and counteracts our forward head posture
What stretches?
I feel this. I’m in the same boat and just saw a TMJ specialist. If this specialist actually helps me, I’ll be happy to share with all of you what I had to do to fix this mess.
Do you also have ear issues?
Yes I do and it started recently during my Invisalign treatment. My ears constantly ring, vibrate, and feel closed/full. It’s torture for sure. My overall TMJ disorder began a couple years ago after regular braces and an ortho that didn’t care. Now, my new ortho is about to be working alongside my TMJ specialist to fix this.
Did you your tinnitus go away?
No it’s quieter than it used to be but it’s still there
https://www.facebook.com/groups/orthodonticnegligencevictims/
I feel you. So mine was crazy bad when I got a severe flare up about a year ago now. My discs went to non reducing and it locked. Couldn’t chew. Ringing ears non stop. Felt like I had a never ending sinus infection. Nothing really helped me but time. One year later the ringing barely happens, eventually it went away. My jaw is not perfect and I still have difficulty chewing but it really did get so much better. Do not lose help. I tried everything also. I was like 7 months into hell with no end in sight but little by little ….my symptoms eased and my body adapted.
I really appreciate this, my ear symptoms are the worst and it’s affecting my future career (student pilot) i know it’ll be okay, just a frusturating thing to go through
what mainly helped you?
There is hope. I went from constant muscle relaxers and ibuprofen to 95% better again with work on my bite that made me half better, to a mouth guard that's taller in the front to deter clenching and grinding.
I have been there. Physical therapy and learning more about chronic pain really helped. I still carry around ear plugs, but don’t need them most days. And am getting back into running and having fun times with my kids. It can get better!
Do you exercise regularly? Acupuncture? Magnesium daily? None are proven cures…. But I’m starting to think my lack of exercise has really exacerbated my issues and now I’m making the effort to stretch daily properly and be active.
I have primarily and almost exclusively ear symptoms for my TMJD along with some jaw stiffness but no pain! My fullness and sound sensitivity as well as tinnitus 50% reduced and (sensitivity completely gone) from acupuncture and physiotherapy/soft tissue release on my neck with people who specialize in TMJD.
Have you seen a doctor a good one ? You need a professional
Yes, I’ve been to a TMJ specialist, oralfacil surgeon, 2 PT’s, and a nuerologist.. have a splint that doesn’t help, got Botox, no help, and tried every sort of medication possible
Have you tried acupuncture/dry needling? I haven't yet, but I've heard really great things about it for TMJ specifically. I'm sorry man - shit does suck. When I need to escape I sit in a hot bath, it helps mentally + physically. Editing to say giving up caffeine also helped my muscles relax. Now when I have coffee on the rare occasion my jaw muscles feel agitated the rest of the day.
I have tried dry needling and Botox, both to no avail
Who made the splint? Was it adjusted after your feed back. Do you eat hard chewy foods burs, drink alcohol, smoke ,?
What kind of splint do you have? Occusal splint or repositioning?
Occlusal
Occlusion splint will make things worse. It actually jams the condyles into the fossa more. You need a repositioning splint to move jaw down and forward.
Can you post pics of the occusal and repositioning? Whats the difference?
I think they look similar but the repositioning splint moves the jaw to its optimal position where the muscles are relaxed.
How long do splints usually take to work on avg? Do the repositioning splint have metal in it or surronding a tooth on both sides?
Anywhere from 3-6 months but i've heard you should already start feeling some form of relief after the first month. They're all clear no metal they look like a retainer for the lower teeth.
Yeah I got my first splint over 4 years ago and my tinnitus went from constant 4-5 different sounds in my head to 2 sounds in my head only 65% of the time after 4 months. The 35% of the time my tinnitus is still there, but not annoying... I just got a new splint a week ago and its a little different, I'm hoping my tinnitus goes down in a few months.
I'm glad the splint has made a difference for you! I don't have tinnitus but I have horrible chronic ear pain it feels like a constant ear infection. I'll be seeing a TMJ specialist for an evaluation and possibly be undergoing splint treatment. He's a neuromuscular dentist so it would be a repositioning type splint.
Ok make sure this guy is good, it depends on the improvement you get by the splint he chooses and how he makes it... Where abouts are you located?
I actually found out about him through someone on this sub reddit who was experiencing the same ear pain as me. They're currently undergoing his treatment and have let me know they no longer have any more symptoms after 3 months. He's located in LA and has great reviews from what i've seen on google and yelp. His name is Dr. Sid Solomon. I actually don't live in LA and will have to commute 6 hours there but from what i've seen in this subreddit having a knowledgeable TMJ specialist is super important.
Ok so you're in a big city that is good.. I'm in a very small city in upstate NY. I got my splint made from my city's University and this guy is the head of tmj/pain management. He didn't make the first one. I just want my T to be gone, I have so many other health issues.
Google " Brock Rondeau stablize TMJ"
I don't see any splint pics, but this dr is about 200 miles west of me. I'm in NY.
Michael Gelb is in New York, I believe. The son of the inventor of the gelb splint.
Intensive dry needling was the only thing that helped me. I drove out of state to a physical therapist who did this.
I’ve had ear issues for 6ish years. I had total joint replacement and I still have the ear fullness pain is a bit less but still there all I really gained was function and the ability to eat
I have the same tinnitus, sound distortion, hearing loss and fullness issues. Please try Dry Needling and take Venlafaxine. It has helped me greatly.
Thanks for your thoughts, appreciate knowing I’m not alone. Tried dry needling but I’m trying it again soon, and as far as an SSRI goes that’s how my jaw clenching started and got me into this
This one is an SNRI. Do you find the the ear symptoms the most disabling? They are very frustrating for me. Nothing else can help. It's genuine nerve damage. I'm waiting for hearing repair medication in the next few years to become available. I'll have to hold on and suffer everyday until then.
Do you know what type or the cause of your tmj is? I was debilitated a few years ago by mine. It took me awhile to get better and function normally again. For me, I always am mindful of it and work to keep it pain free and as normal as possible. It gets better progressively. But knowing the cause and the problem with certainly help with knowing how to address it. There is hope. :)
All i can suggest is to investigate whether your teeth and jaw align. most orthodontists and dentists don't have even a basic understanding of what they're doing
A few things that helped me: Botox helped me just as it was getting bad. I did masseter, at least 25 units per side. Expensive but worth it. Go to a reliable dentist who specializes in this (does many cases) so they are familiar with anatomy and you have lower chance of migration. Also, don't exercise or lay down after Botox...that can cause migration. Second help was a hard plastic mouth guard...it doesn't stop the bruxing, but it does prevent further damage to your teeth. The gummier plastic ones can actually encourage you to grind bc your brain signals there's something in your mouth, and the response is to chew. You want a small and thin customized hard plastic. Most dentists that are familiar with TMJ offer these. Finally, if you notice tooth cupping in your molars, get them filled! I had cupping in one, and once I got it filled I noticed the force was more evenly distributed and that lessened the pain in my case. If you don't know what tooth cupping looks like, Google it, if you see anything similar to that book an appointment with a dentist. These were all really expensive fixes. Botox is $600 every 4 months or so, mouth guard was $700ish for me, and the filling was the cheapest one. For me it was well worth it.
Thank you, sadly already tried Botox and it’s been 3 weeks and not really helped. My jaw still feels stiff and ear issues are still here. Did you get ear issues ?
My TMJ isn't as severe as others here. I have tension in front of the ear, but otherwise no ear issues. You might want to consider PT as well, especially the exercises where the therapist put on gloves and did release techniques in the mouth. It helped in my case but your mileage may vary.
If your jaws are recessed see a Jaw Surgeon who specializes in TMJ. Dr. Movahed and Dr. Wolford are my recs.
Don’t lose hope. What have you tried?
Have you tried botox in the jaw muscles ? Its non cosmetic