New symptom clicking jaw TMJ?

Hi Ambella -

I'm so sorry you have developed the jaw clicking... UGH... I have had this since I was 9 years old. It's definitely a TMJ (temporomandibular joint) issue, could be exacerbated by a joint issue due to the infection(s) or could be a symptom of stressful sleep because of the impact of the infections and treatment on the body that makes us more fatigued, irritable, etc.

Very common symptoms of the infections and treatment are neurotransmitter imbalances, which can include mood imbalances and agitation. Increased stress can also make adrenal fatigue worse, which can also trigger neurotransmitter imbalances and stressful sleep.

And, you could have been having stressful sleep for a long time, which might be developing into a louder symptom now with the infection(s) and treatment. TMJ can also develop from injury (I was hit on the side of the head with a ball when I was 9) but also, I think injury can happen at the dentist (with all of the prying open and pressure applied to the jaw, etc... of course dentists tell me that's just crazy...)

I have sought all kinds of tx over the years - nothing really works for me. Other people have success with wearing a "night guard" (splint) at night - it's a rubber-like appliance that can at least protect the teeth. But your jaws are the strongest muscle in your body and the soft rubbery guards can not only be severed in the sleep but can actually help develop the TM joint muscles even further.

I shocked two different oral surgeons with the overdevelopment of the muscles across the top of my head due to my TMJ and this makes the chomping and grinding even worse. THe hard nightguards are very expensive but might help prevent this.

Some people with severe issues resort to surgery to clean out the scar tissue and/or replace joints. Insurance doesn't always cover it because it's not always successful.

My jaws don't always hurt every day but they click nearly every day when I eat. Dental visits are a nightmare - so.much.pain.

But the most success I've had with relief of symptoms is simply finding a way to relax before I fall asleep:

- warm compresses or a nice, relaxing soak
- meditation
- breathing exercises
- making sure bed is comfy and I have a good sleeping environment so that I can fall asleep quickly (insomnia can bring on stress! Experiment with pillow positioning - I no longer sleep on my stomach - mainly sleep on my back but don't know if this is helpful but it might be.

But the meditation is KEY. My TMJ is definitely better now but I know it's flaring when I wake up with a sore jaw.

Hope this is helpful - hang in there.

-p

the revolving symptoms of lyme. Yes, they will drive you nuts at times! Whenever my jaw gets stiff, and I did have "tmj" while in high school and early college I find that, as pirouette said, meditation is key. First rotate your head like you are trying to draw a figure 8 with your nose. Go in both directions. That will losen it up a bit. Then meditate and focus on relaxing your temporal muscles.