Pain...is it imaginary or real?

Pain…is it real or imaginary??????

Pain-noun

1)  physical suffering or distress, as due to injury, illness, etc.

2)  a distressing sensation in a particular part of the body:

Synonyms

Torture, misery, torment, ache, agony, anguish

I’ve learned of many people who have been dismissed by doctors who did not believe their pain.  If this is the case for you, find another, better doctor.  To sit in front of someone who does not believe you, and in essence, dismisses what you are telling him/her is a disgrace.

My dentist first diagnosed my TMJ.  I had a horrible toothache, and thought I needed a root canal.  I went to the specialist, who took the x-rays, and everything was perfect.  In fact, he couldn’t figure out why I was in pain and felt that it would just go away.  It didn’t.  It progressively got worse.  Mornings were horrible; it felt as though someone took a baseball bat to the side of my face.  Yet, according to the specialists, nothing was wrong.  This went on for several weeks until I went to a concert, ate popcorn, and spent the entire night screaming/cheering. 

The next day I went back to my dentist and he stated, “I think you have TMJ.”  He then spent about 40 minutes doing a complete exam.  It hurt when he touched the top of my head, my jaw wasn’t opening as wide as it should, and I had what I thought were migraines. 

Even though I didn’t grind/clench my teeth, I tried using a night guard.  I then went into braces for a little over a year. 

Shortly after my braces were removed, I began eating all the candy, chips, etc that I love.  I began to hear a strange sound in my ears.  A friend at work told me it was TMJ.  I didn’t believe her, yet she ended up being correct. 

When I went in for my first MRI, I was nervous.  What if nothing is wrong?  What if the pain is in my head? 

The results proved that bilaterally (both sides) my discs were dislocated.  I was not crazy!  Halleluiah!!!

Everyone with TMJ/TMD exhibits different symptoms and different pains.  There is not a day that goes by that I am not in pain.   What does my pain feel like?  Most commonly it feels like a never-ending migraine where my entire skull hurts.  On extremely bad days, the pain is so intense that it hurts to touch my head, put my hair up in a ponytail, breath, and/or to walk.  There are days that I do not want to get out of bed. 

How does this affect my life?  Well, I try to live as normally as I can; however, I do have limitations.  I am on a very soft food diet.  I cannot run, go jet skiing, boating, on roller coasters, etc. 

What do I do to manage pain?  I take over the counter pain medicine and on bad days I use muscle relaxers.  I have used heat and ice therapy in the past, but that does not help me at the moment.  Doctors have offered me painkillers; however, I am allergic to them.

Whenever I go to the doctor I am asked about my level of pain, and I believe this is an unfair question.  I have a high tolerance for pain, so is the number I give actually accurate?  I started looking this up on the Internet and there is an actual chart that will help clarify this for anyone.  Next time the surgeon asks me my level of pain, I will use this chart to give my answer.

Many people don’t understand the pain associated with TMJ/TMD because you look “normal.”  If you think you suffer prom TMJ/TMD problems, ask your doctor to do a complete check and/or get an MRI.  Remember, not all doctors, dentists, and oral surgeons are knowledgeable about this topic.  You might need to research specialist on the Internet. 

Basic TMJ/TMD information

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day!  Here is some basic information about TMJ/TMD.  If you suffer from jaw problems, you are already aware of this information.  Before I even get into my story, I feel as though some basic information might be useful!


What is TMJ? 

TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint, which is a hinge that connects your jaw to the temporal bones in your skull.  It’s located right in front of your ears.  This joint helps you chew, talk, yawn, smile.

What is TMJ syndrome? 

Most often pain and often muscle tightness in the face.

Some causes:

*Teeth grinding (bruxism) or clenching

*Arthritis

*Stress/anxiety

*Poor posture

*Excessively chewing gum, hard food, or chewy foods

*Teeth that aren’t lined properly

What are TMJ symptoms?

*Sore muscles in the face

*Jaw will feel tired

*Clicking or popping noise (this might not be painful)

*Headaches, toothaches, dizziness

*Ringing (or other noises) in the ear

*Facial swelling

Home treatments:

*Ibuprofen

*Eating soft foods (chicken, ground beef, etc) 

*Avoid large yawns, singing, yelling

*Keep your teeth slightly apart

*Learn how to handle stress

No matter what, always consult a medical professional.  Do research and make sure they know TMJ/TMD, and a variety of treatments.  This is where I made a mistake.  For instance, I had to change dentists because of insurance.  My new dentist made me a night guard.  Insurance didn’t cover it, so I paid approximately $700.  I hated it because of the material and the fit, even after it had been adjusted several times.  I went to my old dentist, who is more knowledgeable about TMJ/TMD, and had him make me one.  I no longer wear it because I do not clench or grind my teeth, so my Oral Maxillofacial surgeon said I could just wear my retainers.  Like I previously stated, every situation is different. 

Useful websites:

http://www.tmj.org/

http://www.tmjhope.org/

Background information

Good afternoon,

This is my very first blog post.  I thought about creating a travel blog several years ago, and even signed up for this website yet never did anything with it.  Last year, I began thinking about creating another blog about people who suffer from TMJ/TMDD.  Honestly, I was too lazy and never even began the process.

This time is different.  This time I have the drive and determination to share information about jaw disorders.  I want to encourage people and give them confidence in their own journey with TMJ/TMDD.  I decided on the name Positively TMJ/TMDD for two reasons: I want to disseminate accurate information about the jaw and because I want this to be a positive website, where people can go and find encouragement and hope while dealing with any of the obstacles this disorder causes.

I am not a doctor, and; therefore, none of the information/advice given on this blog should be used in place of seeking medical attention.  Over the years, I have worked with several wonderful dentists, doctors, orthodontists, and oral maxillofacial surgeons.  I follow their advice, and even as I read information on the Internet, I recognize that every situation is unique and the advice that someone else may have successfully followed may not be what is best for me.

At one point or another, all doctors ask me about trauma.  Have I been in a car accident?  Have I ever been hit in the head?  Do I grind my teeth or clench my jaw?  The answer is always the same, no.  I do always mention that when I was sixteen-years-old I had a tonsillectomy.  When I was discharged from the hospital I realized I couldn't open my mouth, but figured I was just swollen.  The entire week I drank my food, as I couldn't even fit a spoon in my mouth.  When my mom brought me back to the surgeon he was stunned and swore he had never seen anything like this.  He then sent me to a dentist, who was also his personal friend.  This man jammed his thumbs into my mouth and applied pressure (practically putting his entire body weight into it).  I remember hearing a few popping sounds and my jaw opened just a smidge better, but it was nowhere near normal.  My mom and I left and went directly to my dentist, who put me on muscle relaxers, steroids, and a soft food diet.  It took about a month, but I finally could open my mouth!

Even though there is no way to know for sure, this could be the start of my TMJ/TMDD.

Hopefully, through reading my journey and learning more about this jaw disorder, others will find some relief.  There are other people out there who are facing the same obstacles you are, so you aren't alone.  I will be updating this weekly, and hopefully (as time goes on) I'll learn to add pictures and make this a bit fancy, but for now...this is a start!