TMJ Dysfunction

[Eddy Edson]

Just to vent, really, but if anybody has some tips I'd be grateful to read them!

So I gave up vaping a few weeks ago and to cope with the various kinds of withdrawal issues I started chewing gum - a lot! Before long this triggerred a really annoying TMJ problem. It's OK during the day but at night, it wakes me up every couple of hours with what feels to me most like a bad ear infection. So I get up, pop some anti-inflammatories and eventually go back to sleep for a couple of hours until I get woken again. Doesn't seem to matter what position I sleep in - on my back, either side.

Obviously I've stopped chewing gum and on my doc's instructions I'm biting gently on a wooden dowel to strengthen the joint. I just know I could get sucked into a vortex of different types of dentists and other specialists but I'm hoping that it will go away on its own, sometime soon.

Giving up vaping has been neither beer nor skittles. I'm also struggling a bit not to put on weight, I'm grouchy and in any case I just miss it

 

[AndBreathe]

Just to vent, really, but if anybody has some tips I'd be grateful to read them!

So I gave up vaping a few weeks ago and to cope with the various kinds of withdrawal issues I started chewing gum - a lot! Before long this triggerred a really annoying TMJ problem. It's OK during the day but at night, it wakes me up every couple of hours with what feels to me most like a bad ear infection. So I get up, pop some anti-inflammatories and eventually go back to sleep for a couple of hours until I get woken again. Doesn't seem to matter what position I sleep in - on my back, either side.

Obviously I've stopped chewing gum and on my doc's instructions I'm biting gently on a wooden dowel to strengthen the joint. I just know I could get sucked into a vortex of different types of dentists and other specialists but I'm hoping that it will go away on its own, sometime soon.

Giving up vaping has been neither beer nor skittles. I'm also struggling a bit not to put on weight, I'm grouchy and in any case I just miss it

Eddy - I suggest if you have a TMJ dysfunction triggered by chewing gum, my feeling is it would show itself whilst actively chewing, rather than in a "resting" phase. My guess would be you could well be grinding your teeth in your sleep - perhaps due to nicotine withdrawal (if you were vaping nicotine)/stress of change of routines.

My suggestion would be you see someone to have that checked out. Rather than chewing of soft wood, it would be better to have a bite plane mouth guard made to redress any imbalance and protect your joint from any further damage.

Whilst, just like a gumshield, you can buy bite plane mouth guards online, but bearing in mind your imbalance is likely by a small margin, it is best to have something made to measure.

 

[Inka]

I agree - I had awful jaw pain for months. It affected the whole side of my face and, like you, my ear hurt a lot too. Unknown to me, I’d been clenching my jaw in my sleep. Once I was aware of what I was doing, I carefully avoided it (I’d been clenching my jaw ever so slightly before going to sleep and that slight mis-positioning became a habit so I made a point of relaxing my jaw and ensuring it was correctly aligned).

Once I did that, the pain eased and then completely went away.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Eddy - I suggest if you have a TMJ dysfunction triggered by chewing gum, my feeling is it would show itself whilst actively chewing, rather than in a "resting" phase. My guess would be you could well be grinding your teeth in your sleep - perhaps due to nicotine withdrawal (if you were vaping nicotine)/stress of change of routines.

My suggestion would be you see someone to have that checked out. Rather than chewing of soft wood, it would be better to have a bite plane mouth guard made to redress any imbalance and protect your joint from any further damage.

Whilst, just like a gumshield, you can buy bite plane mouth guards online, but bearing in mind your imbalance is likely by a small margin, it is best to have something made to measure.

I compressed things a bit - when it started, chewing gum definitely brought it on; since I stopped chewing, it only comes on at night, while I'm asleep. I went through a fairly detailed work up with my doc & based on a bunch of different things, we concluded that the gum chewing had triggered the joint problem, and the reason it's still happening at night is probably not tooth grinding, but that's something to revisit down the track if it doesn't calm itself down.

I don't want to go to a dental practitioner type with this at the moment. I know I'm prejudiced, but previous experience with the profession has left me dubious about standards & rightly or wrongly I suspect they would tend to recommend whatever delivers them the most $$$.

 

[AndBreathe]

I compressed things a bit - when it started, chewing gum definitely brought it on; since I stopped chewing, it only comes on at night, while I'm asleep. I went through a fairly detailed work up with my doc & based on a bunch of different things, we concluded that the gum chewing had triggered the joint problem, and the reason it's still happening at night is probably not tooth grinding, but that's something to revisit down the track if it doesn't calm itself down.

I don't want to go to a dental practitioner type with this at the moment. I know I'm prejudiced, but previous experience with the profession has left me dubious about standards & rightly or wrongly I suspect they would tend to recommend whatever delivers them the most $$$.

Well, thank you for that endorsement.

I left the profession many moons ago, but that sort of broad sweep categorisation doesn't help anyone.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Well, thank you for that endorsement.

I left the profession many moons ago, but that sort of broad sweep categorisation doesn't help anyone.

Oops! Sorry, of course I realise that the whole profession isn't like what I've encountered locally - but nevertheless it has been enough to make me locally wary.

 

[AndBreathe]

Oops! Sorry, of course I realise that the whole profession isn't like what I've encountered locally - but nevertheless it has been enough to make me locally wary.

Whilst I appreciate your GP may be a top chap, I guess my concern is where is expertise may or may not lie, in terms of TMJ. The TMJ, on the face of it is a simple joint, but trust me, if it really goes off, it can lead to all manner of issues.

If you can't countenance a member of the dental profession, you could consider a chiropractor. They know a thig or two about joints.

You issue may well be a very simple matter, but without the root cause being adequately identified, you're metaphorically tossing a coin every day on whether what yo are doing is helping or not.

In my world, regularly popping anti-inflammatory meds, just to take the pain away, isn't the way forward.

I'm sure you are very careful about things, but please do be careful not to take more than the recommended daily dose.

If you are wedded to having your GP advise you in this, it could be worthwhile discussing something like Capsaicin cream, which can be extremely effective for joint pain. In UK, it is a prescription only medication (on the basis of inadequate research), and many GPs aren't familiar with it, but rheumatologists often suggest it for those trying very hard to avoid systemic medication, but they also often have to inform the GP of its' existence.

Please don't ignore the TMJ for too long. You really, really don't want to run the risk of a good going trigeminal neuralgia.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Whilst I appreciate your GP may be a top chap, I guess my concern is where is expertise may or may not lie, in terms of TMJ. The TMJ, on the face of it is a simple joint, but trust me, if it really goes off, it can lead to all manner of issues.

If you can't countenance a member of the dental profession, you could consider a chiropractor. They know a thig or two about joints.

You issue may well be a very simple matter, but without the root cause being adequately identified, you're metaphorically tossing a coin every day on whether what yo are doing is helping or not.

In my world, regularly popping anti-inflammatory meds, just to take the pain away, isn't the way forward.

I'm sure you are very careful about things, but please do be careful not to take more than the recommended daily dose.

If you are wedded to having your GP advise you in this, it could be worthwhile discussing something like Capsaicin cream, which can be extremely effective for joint pain. In UK, it is a prescription only medication (on the basis of inadequate research), and many GPs aren't familiar with it, but rheumatologists often suggest it for those trying very hard to avoid systemic medication, but they also often have to inform the GP of its' existence.

Please don't ignore the TMJ for too long. You really, really don't want to run the risk of a good going trigeminal neuralgia.

Thanks for that. If the thing keeps going I'll check out the capsaicin cream (Zostrix?) which you can buy OTC here.

I've just had an uninterrupted night's sleep for the first time in weeks. Yee ha!

 

[AndBreathe]

Thanks for that. If the thing keeps going I'll check out the capsaicin cream (Zostrix?) which you can buy OTC here.

I've just had an uninterrupted night's sleep for the first time in weeks. Yee ha!

I tried some home made chilli based rub (there are loads of recipes online), which was interesting, in that it created a warm reaction, and somewhat distracted from my pain.

My Rheumatologist stated her suggested formulation is only available on prescription. I'll have a look at the clinic letter tomorrow for the name.

Fingers crossed for you. Pain can be incredibly debilitating.

 

[Hepato-pancreato]

Being a smoker for 40 years now ex - smoker 6 years and ex vaper. I used the vape to get off the ciggies. Also used the nicotine replacement quickmist. Aquired this for free from stop smoking organisation. If you could use the quickmist may help you. If its the hand to mouth addiction, cut a straw same length as a cig. basically vape smoke whatever you want to call it as a substitute. Fresh air better for you and free too, hope this can help you!

 

[Eddy Edson]

Being a smoker for 40 years now ex - smoker 6 years and ex vaper. I used the vape to get off the ciggies. Also used the nicotine replacement quickmist. Aquired this for free from stop smoking organisation. If you could use the quickmist may help you. If its the hand to mouth addiction, cut a straw same length as a cig. basically vape smoke whatever you want to call it as a substitute. Fresh air better for you and free too, hope this can help you!

Thanks H-P. It's mainly H2M now, so I'm sucking on a wooden stirrer, which helps 🙂