How to relieve TMJ pain?

stephabef

Anyone have any remedies? My left side has been super affected lately (under a LOT of stress). I've been popping Ibuprofen, and I know a splint is the best option, but I don't have insurance and don't have $1000s lying around for one.

stephabef

Anyone else with this problem?

Behavior_Modification

I know your pain. I have suffered with TMJ issues for over 10 years and got my first mouth appliance 9 years ago. I hated it at first, it took like 3 months to get used to it, by now I love it. I cannot go a night w/o it. I know you can't afford one right now, but please think about saving up for one. The first one I got I had to pay out of pocket and it was less than $500 and I got it from my dentist.

However, there are other things you can do that are less expensive or free.

1. Chiropractor. I have had my chiropractor adjust my jaw before. I know this sounds weird and yes it was kinda weird when he did it. But it helped.

2. There are massaging techniques you can do to alleviate the pressure in your tissue and muscles in that area. Surely you could find some suggestions on the internet. A physical therapist introduced me to these. I have the best luck with the ones you stick your thumb and/or fingers inside your mouth and massage your jaw muscles that way.

If I think of anything else, I'll holler.

stephabef

Thanks so much!! I definitely intend to get one someday, it's just too difficult right now to afford it. I'm just terrified of doing irreversible damage. I'm hyper aware of my jaw during the day, so I never grind, but I can't control what I'm doing as a sleep.

clydethecat

i have tmj pain, it comes when i clench my teeth, so my doctor told me to push my tongue up against the roof of my mouth, that takes the tension off...

i massage right where the jaw comes together...

motrin helps when it really hurts...

i also messed around with heat and cold.. heat helped loosen and then the cold brought the swelling down... dont use either for more then a few minutes...

alimac92

Just looking for advice and came across your posts.
Last week I had my first crown fitted so expected some discomfort while it settled in.
I also know I've been clenching or grinding my teeth lately.

I had bad pain in my jaw yesterday at work and I woke up at midnight not long ago
to find I was clenching my teeth really hard.
I feel like I've been punched in the cheek bone, the pain is bad.

I'm going to massage my face and try some relaxation methods, I used to have a guard but it made gag to use it years ago.
I'll have to rethink that. Painkillers first and more sleep!

It's Just nice to know I'm not on my own with this incredibly frustrating problem.

Jules0336

I'm not sure where you are, but in Canada you can get a night guard for $300-$400 (I work in a dental office). I clench my teeth and my jaw use to be really sore, they really do help.

pg1girl

I am in Canada and got my night guard here. I clench very badly. If you can't afford one...I wonder if just a hockey mouth guard would word. Talk to a pharmacist at the drug store and see if they can help. As well, open your mouth slightly and then massage the sore area while slightly opening and closing your mouth. Best of luck....tmj and sore jaws are horrible.

Jules0336

I have also heard a few people say that Robaxacet (sp?) works great for TMJ pain, something you may want to look into for now, but I would speak to the pharmacist first to be sure that its a good idea.

MzBug

After my guy had some very expensive bridge and crown (gold) work done he started grinding his teeth at night and waking up with headaches and tmj pain. We tried the over the counter mouth guards, and they helped, but only lasted a couple weeks. At $40.00 each.... :noway: He finally went back to the dentist and had a heavy hard plastic one made. The first one his dental insurance covered, it lasted about 2 months and then cracked. The dentist made the next one at no cost. He doesn't have the tmj pain anymore, but occasionaly has tension headaches when he wakes up. The ones from the dentist last about a year - 18 months and run him $300.00 each.

Good Luck!

alimac92

Thanks for the advice.

I tried a small sports shield, boiled up to soften it. I couldn't keep it in, I was gagging too much.
I need to find something thin and smaller that would fit my bottom teeth instead of my top teeth.

I went back to the dentist yesterday after another painful night. I woke up feeling nauseous and dizzy, not fit for work
He has smoothed the crown down and wants me to return next week to see if it's helped.
I told him how painful and sensitive it was and how disappointed I felt that a tooth that previously had no pain with was giving me agonising facial pain.

He said because the original filling needed replacing some decay had built up behind. So he had taken more tooth than originally planned. This can be close to the nerves. He said at the moment my tooth is hypersensitive because of the work and the bruxism I'm experiencing.

I did say I was worried I'd got an abscess because of how bad the pain was. I didn't want to be taking pain killers everyday.
We talked about mouth guards and he has offered to make a very thin one.
He also talked about root canal work as a way forward if it doesn't settle down. :sad:
I don't want to go down that route at the moment so I'm taking the antibiotics he prescribed.

Even though I slept better last night. I have woken with a headache and subdued jaw pain on my left side.
Fingers crossed it will settle down soon I don't want more expensive treatment I just want to feel well.

MzBug

When my guy gets the bad headache with jaw pain from grinding his teeth at night he takes a very mild muscle relaxer that his regular doctor prescribed. He doesn't have to take them often, maybe 2-3 times a month, and usually cuts them in half if he has to go to work that day. Maybe that would help you if the pain is more in the muscles than the actual TM joint.

LorinaLynn

I had a spint/bite guard that pretty much saved my life. However, I was still clenching so badly that I BIT THROUGH the bite guard and broke it.

One of those cheap drug store bite guards that you shape in hot water helped for a while, and eventually, I stopped wearing it.

My jaw is still wonky, still gets stuck out of joint from time to time (thankfully, not very often), but getting my depression and anxiety under control (yay for exercise! I was even able to get off my meds!) has helped a lot in that regard.