I've been diagnosed with TMJ (Temporomandibular joint disorder) What should I do now?

macco66 · 24-11-2010 02:54AM

Oh yeah, nice one! ALL I want now is crusty bread crisp sambos! Thanks for that...:rolleyes:

Susie564 · 10-05-2011 09:45AM

First of all……….sorry for bumping this thread, for all those who have no interest/time for TMJ problems

So, I’m still struggling a fair bit – the doctor I am seeing has advised me that I may require a bilateral eminectomy. I’m just wondering if anyone has any experience/advice/opinions on this.

I would be fairly petrified to have any type of surgery.

marti8 · 10-05-2011 10:23AM

Susie564 wrote: »

First of all……….sorry for bumping this thread, for all those who have no interest/time for TMJ problems

So, I’m still struggling a fair bit – the doctor I am seeing has advised me that I may require a bilateral eminectomy. I’m just wondering if anyone has any experience/advice/opinions on this.

I would be fairly petrified to have any type of surgery.

Hiya, I've never heard of that sugery, a bilateral eminectomy. Not that I would have however. Wish I could give you some advice but I can't, sorry. It's always a good idea to get a second opinion when it comes to any kind of surgery though. Surgery for TMJD is a big enough step. My best advice would be to get a second and maybe third opinion tbh. I was fitted for a splint recently, have to go back and get it soon. In my case I don't think surgery is required, the bloody awful pains I had cleared up once I had root canal done. However my jaw is still misaligned or whatever they call it (not that you'd notice it) and clicks and creeks and that sometimes, never locks or anything thankfully. So technically while I have TMJD it doesn't seem to be bothering me too much right now, thankfully. Very best of luck with whatever you decide to do!

My main problem now is no longer TMJD it's the bloody non-stop tinnitus! Saw an audiologist recently too be told I was partially deaf or had below par heariing or whatever - never even knew that! He said that that was prob what was causing my tinnitus and not TMJD. Had an MRI on my inner ear and will get those results soon.

Susie564 · 11-05-2011 08:18AM

Thanks marti8 - will be getting lots of opinions hopefully. Surgery will not be for a good while so I have plenty of time to think about it.

Susie564 · 17-05-2011 08:33AM

Susie564 wrote: »

will be getting lots of opinions hopefully

.....although none from here obviously

btkm8unsl0w5r4 · 17-05-2011 09:16AM

Susie564 wrote: »

.....although none from here obviously

Susie, I am sorry nobody has given you other options, I think the problem is that TMD especially when its been going on for a long while, is a catch all term for about 30 different conditions. Only your specialist will have examined you and will have sorted through the causes and be left with a few culprits. If Surgery is being mentioned then your case is pretty resistant to standard treatments.

Best follow your specialists advice or go to another specialist (although they are rare enough) and get a second opinion. I would advise not paying too much heed to speculation on a internet forum where people tend to generalise their experiences which more often than not is counter productive.

Best of luck,

fitzgeme

Susie564 · 17-05-2011 09:32AM

Thanks for that fitzgeme. I'm really just looking for "food for thought" from this forum, I'm not really looking for other options as such. I was hoping to possibly hear from someone who has experience with this sort of surgery, but I guess that was a bit of a long shot.

It's been a very confusing and frustrating few months. And there's so much crap on the internet, it's hard to make sense of it all. I was thinking of getting a second opinion, but the specialist I am seeing is the leading authority in this field (I think). My dentist has a lot of confidence in him, and I have a lot of confidence in my dentist! I am seeing him again in a few weeks and I'm just trying to get my head straight before seeing him again, as the mention of surgery at my last appointment, kind of caught me by surprise.

If anyone else has a contribution, it would be greatly appreciated.

BTW he has told me I have "internal derangement of the TMJ".

Tramps Like Us · 12-05-2014 10:54AM

I have TMJ too. I ended up getting an injection and a splint which has greatly helped for the last few months, however today and yesterday I have been in pain (pain doesnt bother me) but the joint has swelled up a bit and my bite is now out of alignment which is infuriating. Is it normal for it to flare up now and again?

I'm just gonna stick with the splint every night and hope it goes away. Its over E150 to see the specialist who has been treating me for this and being honest there is no way I can afford to see him again, especially after paying him north of 500 for the damn splint.

Has anyone had any luck with seeing an osteopath for TMJ? One fixed a long term back problem I had when I had no look with countless specialists, I hadn't realized they treat TMJ till I saw it on his website yesterday when looking up his contact details for a friend.. Might try him out and see how I get on.

Susie564 · 18-05-2014 06:04PM

Only seen this now......mine flares up in cold &/ damp weather or if I'm particularly stressed about something. I'm not a big fan of Osteopathy. Did you go in the end?

Tramps Like Us · 18-05-2014 07:18PM

Susie564 wrote: »

Only seen this now......mine flares up in cold &/ damp weather or if I'm particularly stressed about something. I'm not a big fan of Osteopathy. Did you go in the end?

Yes I did, I went on friday and am due to go back next week.

I had some great success, the immediate relief he was able to give me in terms of the pain and swelling was more than I had previously got from an injection I had got into the joint. While the swelling has gone down and my bite alignment is almost 100% my range of motion is still limited and there is still some pain

I have an appointment for an hour next week for him to get stuck into it properly, he also treated some other problems I had so he ran out of time

I'm very happy I decided to give it a try, as I said the immediate relief I got was great (I was able to eat and chew my dinner when I got home from the osteopath, I couldn't eat cereal that morning) and he is optimistic he can help me further so I'm looking forward to seeing him next week.

I've been diagnosed with TMJ (Temporomandibular joint disorder) What should I do now?

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