For the past 15 years in my office I've seen many hundreds of patients dealing with TMJ and TMJ-related symptoms come through my doors.
I thought it might be helpful to have a glimpse at what a typical individual dealing with TMJ can look like.
The woman that I saw yesterday was 46 years old. She had been dealing with her symptoms that included jaw pain with dysfunctional jaw opening, neck and shoulder pain, and daily headaches including 5-10 migraines a month that incapacitate her. She also recently began experiencing vertigo and ear pressure/ringing 1 month ago. She was taking prednisone (a steroid that can often have these common side effects). She is avoiding eating meat, chips and sandwiches.
This is what I find interesting and somewhat depressing. In the last 4 years, she's seen a neurologist that recommended medications that she was intolerant to and she found unhelpful. She received a night guard that failed to reduce her symptoms. She was treated with a CPAP machine at night to increase her oxygen and that created excessive oxygen pressure in the stomach and intestines. It created acid reflux and eventually he was treated for multiple related hernias.
She initially spent over $1000 on 2 treatments of botox. They were ineffective in altering her symptoms but she was advised to continue them 4x/year anyway. It was explained to her that they would eventually start to diminish her symptoms. She opted to discontinue the botox.
She most recently began a $5000 Invisalign treatment that has moderately increased her jaw pain and treatment will continue for 1 year. Finally she's sought assistance from a local hospital physical therapist 3x/week for the last 2 months. She did report a day of some mild relief afterwards before it returns again the next day.
For the past 3 years she's been unable work
And recently she's been unable to drive because of the vertigo. She sleeps 5.5 hours/night on average and perhaps worst of all her partner relates that she has lost her self-esteem, sense of worth as she used to be very physically active and fit previously. Now she's often bed-bound and not working.
I thought it might be helpful to have a glimpse at what a typical individual dealing with TMJ can look like.
The woman that I saw yesterday was 46 years old. She had been dealing with her symptoms that included jaw pain with dysfunctional jaw opening, neck and shoulder pain, and daily headaches including 5-10 migraines a month that incapacitate her. She also recently began experiencing vertigo and ear pressure/ringing 1 month ago. She was taking prednisone (a steroid that can often have these common side effects). She is avoiding eating meat, chips and sandwiches.
This is what I find interesting and somewhat depressing. In the last 4 years, she's seen a neurologist that recommended medications that she was intolerant to and she found unhelpful. She received a night guard that failed to reduce her symptoms. She was treated with a CPAP machine at night to increase her oxygen and that created excessive oxygen pressure in the stomach and intestines. It created acid reflux and eventually he was treated for multiple related hernias.
She initially spent over $1000 on 2 treatments of botox. They were ineffective in altering her symptoms but she was advised to continue them 4x/year anyway. It was explained to her that they would eventually start to diminish her symptoms. She opted to discontinue the botox.
She most recently began a $5000 Invisalign treatment that has moderately increased her jaw pain and treatment will continue for 1 year. Finally she's sought assistance from a local hospital physical therapist 3x/week for the last 2 months. She did report a day of some mild relief afterwards before it returns again the next day.
For the past 3 years she's been unable work
And recently she's been unable to drive because of the vertigo. She sleeps 5.5 hours/night on average and perhaps worst of all her partner relates that she has lost her self-esteem, sense of worth as she used to be very physically active and fit previously. Now she's often bed-bound and not working.
I see individuals that are suffering more and less. Some that have spent much more money or perhaps are just starting their TMJ process. But I do think it's helpful for those out there suffering similarly- that it's not that uncommon and that you're not alone.
But just know-
You can get better again.
Find someone with certified TMJ expertise like a CCTT.
That's the certification I have earned.
Find someone with experience in treating TMJ exclusively for at least 10 years.
Find someone that not only effectively resolves your TMJ symptoms- pain, tightness, headaches, ear ringing, vertigo, etc.-
But also just as or even more importantly, someone that teaches you the causes of your issues and teaches you how to eliminate them so your symptoms don't return.
Hang in there. With the right direction, it does get better!
I see individuals that are suffering more and less. Some that have spent much more money or perhaps are just starting their TMJ process. But I do think it's helpful for those out there suffering similarly- that it's not that uncommon and that you're not alone.
But just know-
You can get better again.
Find someone with certified TMJ expertise like a CCTT.
That's the certification I have earned.
Find someone with experience in treating TMJ exclusively for at least 10 years.
Find someone that not only effectively resolves your TMJ symptoms- pain, tightness, headaches, ear ringing, vertigo, etc.-
But also just as or even more importantly, someone that teaches you the causes of your issues and teaches you how to eliminate them so your symptoms don't return.
Hang in there. With the right direction, it does get better!
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