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***LPR/GERD and TMJ is there a connection?***

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GERD & Acid Reflux
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Posted 3/24/2012 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
For those of you suffering GERD/LPR do you have TMJ also?

Most of you know my history and background already but for those of you who don't....

I've been dealing with "LPR" symptoms for about a year w/o relief from medicines even a Nissen.

I went to see my dentist today to see if I can do some repair work on my teeth as I some wear from what I believe was acid coming up.

She did a very good exam and concluded I had major problems with my mouth, jaw, bite, and airway. Basically I had two bi cuspids (upper teeth...not sure which ones) taken out when I was little. I had ortho work done to straighten my teeth. However, my jaw was badly misaligned and constricting my airway....all this without me even knowing. I knew my jaw was crooked a little but nothing serious I thought. She said, the wear of my teeth is not from acid but from clenching and grinding and could manifest in the pains I've been feeling in my mouth and lips.

I'm going to get upper and lower splints to fix my bite and airway which she believes will help alleviate my symptoms.

What a great doctor/dentist! It started make sense that LPR is directly related to your throat/airway and by fixing the actually anatomy not just medicines this can be fixed. I'm actually optimistic of this approach. I did a quick search online between the correlation between TMJ and GERD and found so many connections. I wonder why I never thought of it before. I hope this will help me.

By the way....I was getting desperate early and tried something called "Oil Pulling." You guys can do a google search on it, but it suppose to be great for oral health. You swoosh 1 tablespoon of seseame oil in your mouth for 20min first thing in the morning, spit it out, rinse, and go about your day. It's an Indian remedy....hey I was desperate lol. It may have not fixed the burning I felt in my mouth, but it made it super white! I did maybe 3x and it looks like my teeth were professionally whitedned....amazing.

Anyways......I get my splints formed on Monday....I will keep you guys updated.

Oh, I told my dentist about my Nissen surgery and that I'm about 1.5 months out. I told her my surgeon said it takes 6 months for complete healing. So she told me well, if fixing your TMJ doesn't help your symptoms, you are correcting something now, that will prevent a lot problems for you in the future and in the process you are giving your surgery more time.

Let me know if any of your have TMJ too....thanks guys.

Max
Posted 3/24/2012 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
Ok, I'm tripping out here....I did a search on Healing Well for TMJ and GERD and saw sooooo many posts from people who have both......darn, I wonder if this is the root of the problem. There was article I read online that TMJ restricts the airway and causes problem with your hiatus and diaphram which is the root to GERD.

I will seriously be my dentist' best friend if this works out......She said on a scale of 1-10, my TMJ is a 9.......(10 being the worst)....she said it's not 10 because I don't present the pain from TMJ yet, but it's manifesting itself in other ways such the burning in my throat and mouth....
Posted 3/24/2012 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Maximus,

I have left-sided tmj also, but I notice that these symptoms tend to go away when the lpr is under control. I also have a crooked overbite.
Posted 3/24/2012 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Max,

I also have read that GI physicians see a lot of people with LPR or GERD with TMJ - supporting the notion there could be some connection.  Sounds like your dentist is on the right track.  However, I do feel your surgery was justified so don't start to doubt that you did not need surgery.

Continue to be your own best advocate and if upper and lower splints don't work in a reasonable amount of time, consider seeing and oral surgeon for the TMJ issues.

Kindly,

Kitt

Posted 3/24/2012 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
Hi can any one tell me what TMJ is please?
Posted 3/24/2012 11:24 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Kitt and Faith.

I do believe there is a connection.

I will keep you all posted.

Honestly, I got use to the pain already. It's the irritation of the lips that's getting to me. But I will keep you all informed.

Also, yes I am glad I got the Nissan. It fixed my tummy problems ;)
Posted 3/25/2012 12:46 AM (GMT 0)
Featherstar

Check out this link:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tmj-disorders/DS00355

Posted 3/26/2012 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
I also have tmj - For years I would get these horrible ear aches when I was under stress - it felt like someone was sticking an ice pick in my ear - a trip to the ENT told me my ears were fine and he asked me open and close my mouth and I said "My jaw will start clicking" and then asked him how in the world can tmj affect your ears - he explained it. I have a couple bouts a year with it and it is painful. Still longing for a miracle cure for lpr!
Posted 3/26/2012 2:32 AM (GMT 0)
I have TMJ, too...I don't grind my teeth, though.
Posted 3/26/2012 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
Just reading this thread because I've currently got a bit of TMJ pain and sinusitis (all hail the hay fever season.........).

Wise words indeed Denise - I'll try to carry them around with me, thank you!

MMM
Posted 3/28/2012 6:18 AM (GMT 0)
Have any of you undergo any splint treatment for your tmj? How are you doing now?
Posted 3/29/2012 12:01 AM (GMT 0)
Maximus,

I guess I might have herniated my surgery and my acid reflux has come back. It's really depressing. By the way from reading your old post it look like you are in Hawaii. I'm originally from Oahu and had lived there for 30 years before moving to California. I guess hence the 808 in your user name.
Posted 3/29/2012 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hey JAM,

Yes I'm from Hawaii. It sucks to be in such a beautiful place with LPR/GERD or whatever it's called.

Sorry to hear about the hernia. Did a doctor tell you that?

By the way, do you have TMJ JAM? My dentist pointed this out to me and said it could be the cause of a lot of my troubles. I'm not to hopeful but we'll see. Those of us with LPR just can't catch any breaks....know what I mean.

Do you have any problems with you bite or teeth? Any orthowork as a child? I honestly think this may be a contributing factor to what we are dealing with.

Try and do a search or LPR and TMJ....or burning mouth throat and TMJ....there's lots of info out there.....
Posted 3/29/2012 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
Hey maximus,

The surgeon wants me to do a upper GI and endoscopy because my symptoms got worst. I can feel some chest soreness that leads me to conclude I herniated my nissen. I don't know if I have TMJ but my silver amalgam is shiny from the acid.
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