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Could I have TMJ?

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Posted 7/15/2008 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
Here's my quick story...I have been battling a "sinus" condition now for over 4 months. I have been treated for infection, allergies and everything in between. Just recently I had xrays and they came out with "unremarkable" results. They are now sending me to an ENT.

My symptoms are pretty much just pressure in my face, more over my eyes and eyebrows and my temples. Sometimes in my cheeks. I think I do have some sinus issues, but I am beginning to wonder if perhaps I have some dental/TMJ problems that have since flared up. I have been horrible about getting to the dentist (I have some major dentist fears) but made an appointment for next week to discuss. I have also noticed that I have a tendancy to clench my teeth a lot. Not sure if I do at night, but I really do during the day, esppecially when I am stressed out. I also have major aches and pains in the shoulders and neck.

Any thoughts? Can TMJ affect the eyes, eyebrow area? I am at a loss and have been quite scared that I am sick with some sort of disease, tumor, or something.

Thanks, Karen
Posted 7/15/2008 4:34 PM (GMT 0)

Karen, please relax, you are very scared, I know, but don't make yourself stressed over this!  I've had really bad TMJ, which is still there, but much, much better!!  I have posted on another thread about TMJ and Cherry Tart Concentrate, look for it!!  It's in this forum and it has TMJ in the title of the thread!

From what it sounds like, it possibly could be TMJ, seeing that you clench your teeth and have neck and shoulder pain!  Though I'm not a doc!  But, your dentist will be able to tell you if they suspect TMJ!  At first, when you were talking about sinus problems, I really thought that it was that, but clenching is a major symptom of TMJ, a lot of us with TMJ grind our teeth, or clench, and that puts pressure on the jaw and nerves!  So, see your dentist, in the meantime, you might want to try that Cherry Tart Concentrate, it was a Godsend for me!

Any more questions, please, feel free to ask!

Best of luck to you, and all!

Posted 7/15/2008 6:07 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks for the reply.  I am trying so hard to relax and not let my imagination get the best of me.  Its not easy!  I should also mention that I have had jaw issues in the past, I just didn't think it could still be affecting me.

about 2 years ago I woke up with my jaw out of place.  It had always popped and slid but it always popped back in.  This time it didn't, it was incredibly painful and took weeks to heal.  The dentist said that my bite was completely off now, it doesn't line up right.  I guess I'm just surprised to think that these pressures above my eyes could be caused by this.  I have always assumed that the aches and pains in my neck and shoulders were just stress.  Maybe its all a little bit of everything. 

Thank you for the kind response though.  Doing my best to keep calm :-)  Karen

ENT and Dentis appts. both next week....

Posted 7/16/2008 5:38 PM (GMT 0)

Karen, I wish you all the best!  But now that I know more of the story, I can almost bet on it being the TMJ!  Your jaw popped out of place?  I've had that happen, and boy is that painful!!  I was driving home from the store one day, actually about 3-6 months ago, and I opened my jaw, I think I might have yawned, and it stuck!  I got SO scared!!  I was driving and I must look like I'm catching flies!!  LOL!  It popped back in place, as I called my boyfriend on the phone!  I panicked!  It was the strangest thing, but then I remembered it happening before, though it always popped back, right away, not this time!!  LOL!  I was sore for weeks with that one!  LOL!  So, I understand, and I'm SO sorry!

Not sure if I mentioned, but I have a slight dislocation in my right side, from my wisdom tooth surgery, that I know I put in the other post!  But that caused my bite to be off too, my jaw kind of twists as I bite down too, it's so strange!  I never knew that there was a physiology to it like that!  When my dentist checked me, I was so shocked, that I had that problem, but all of that contributes to the TMJ.  Though your sinus' could still be an issue, because that causes all the same pains at times too, but it sure sounds to me like what I went through!

And if you haven't yet, check the thread that's named Temporal Mandibular Junction, or whatever it's called, I think it's still on the front page, I talk all about the Cherry Tart Concentrate, and I really, truely believe in that stuff!!  I've been without serious pain in my jaw for a number of years now!!  Even if it's not the TMJ, it's not harmful to take, as far as I know!  It's natural!

Good luck to you, and keep us posted, especially after you see your docs, I'm curious to know how it turns out for you!

Good luck all!!

Posted 7/16/2008 6:36 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Karen,

It could be TMJ, but it sounds more like trigeminal neuralgia to me.  I have both.  TN can cause pain in all the spots you mentioned.  It is a nerve that is located just in front of the ear and branches off in 3 directions.  One goes along under your lower teeth, another runs along the top of your upper teeth, and the third winds up thru your cheek and up over your eyebrow, causing pain in all or just some of these areas.  It is extremely painful.

Check it out and see if your symptoms fit.

Posted 7/16/2008 6:49 PM (GMT 0)
Gamma,  I had a question about the TN!  How do they decifer the difference between TN and TMJ?  Just curious because I've had all those pains too, but they told me it was TMJ with a dislocation in my right jaw joint.  Thank you!  Very good thought too!  I hope, Karen, that you get good results, something that they can treat and give you relief!!

Good luck to all!

Posted 7/16/2008 7:34 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Gamma,

Thanks for the response!  I looked up TM, I don't know if that is what I have since I wouldn't describe my issues as severe pain, just pressure. 

I actually just got back from the dentist and he is 99.99 percent sure that this is attributed to TMJ.  I think I trust his diagnosis, he showed me my xrays and my bite.  My jaw is so out of alignment its ridiculous, when I disclocated it a few years ago, it healed in the wrong position and stayed there.  Since I clench my jaw often when I'm really stressed or anxious (which I have been since March) it makes it worse I guess.  I never really dreamed that TMJ could cause issues pressure behind the eyes or eyebrows, temples, bridge of my nose.  He said that the TMJ could have caused a problem with a nerve causing neuritis, but that when I get my splint it should help.

Do you guys think I should still go see an ENT next week or should I trust my dentist?  Just wondering.  I'm still a little unsure about everything.

Thanks again, K

Posted 7/16/2008 7:47 PM (GMT 0)

Dragoness Warrior,

I went to my doctor and she had a list of criteria for diagnosing TN.  I also went to my dentist to make sure it wasn't my teeth and he confirmed the diagnosis for TN.

Karen, it sounds to me as if your dentist is saying that you have both TMJ and TN.  The pain with TN doesn't have to be extreme, but it can be.  I couldn't eat anything solid for 3 weeks.  I also tend to clench my teeth and have made a new habit of catching myself and stopping it.  I don't think it would be neccessary to go to and ENT, your regular doctor should be able to tell you if you have TN or not.

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