Welcome to the forums. Please sign in or register

  1. Discussion forums
  2. Conditions F
  3. Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Fibro & TMJ

  1. Hi All,

    Just joined this site today on recommendation of my Dr. Today I have been diagnosed with TMJ, after suffering extreme pain for 6 weeks. It has really began to get me down.

    I was diagnosed with fibro 2 yearsago and cope fairly well as my wonderful hubby does a lot around the house. I work from home as a childminder and tbh, some weeks I don't know how I do it. But I am learning to pace myself.

    I am looking for any help or advice particularly with the TMJ pain altho would like to get to know other fibro sufferers too. Lou x

  2. this is weird,i have tmj and fibro all my troubles started 13 yrs again after a bad extraction,where i was literally lifted up to sitting and the tooth coming away and me crashing back in the dentist chair,it started with a whiplash injury,then i went to leeds dental institute(on the n.h.s) to see a dr.pedlar who diagnosed me with tmj ,told nothing can be done about it ,they made me a plastic hard splint you put over your bottom teeth at night (to stop you grinding teeth in sleep) worn it for a long time but never felt any benefit so am just stuck witht.m.j, but you could always ask your dentist if he could or make you one ,or to refer you to a maxillo fascial specialist on the n.h.s as they have also made me one in the past(if your dentist is private your g.p should be able to refer you) it may help you,although it didn't me good luck,

  3. I also have TMJ and also suffer with fibro, with my TMJ my dentist fitted me with a guard for my bottom teeth to wear at night time, and if needed during the day to. He also stated that I should have a soft diet. It is common to have this problem and it is linked with fibro.

    My guard has worked, sorry it didn't work for you pookie64. I don't eat chewing gum now or sweets like toffee chewy ones - I tend to stay away from any kind of trauma to my jaw by chewing excessively.

    So it's up to you really I would see your dentist though just to rule it out and get a mouth guard and try it out, or just stick to soft diet.

    Kind regards Lorraine smile

  4. I have recently been diagnosed with fibromyagia,feel i have had it for years back and forward to docs.

    I work full time as a tour guide in summer,and do maintenance work in winter,Iam finding it hard to get through each day,dont know what will happen if i cannot work.Have been told to claim dla but how can i when i work fulltime would feel a fraud,any info would be kind Stephen Smith

  5. Hi Steve

    I felt exactly the same about claiming, but at the end of the day I was having a lot of time off work due to fibro and CFS. So I reduced my hours and put a claim in for DLA. I am awaiting for the reply. Its quite a lengthy form and you have to fill it in about your worse day only and what assistance you receive from family, friends etc..... Don't put the word help it has to be assist otherwise they reject it, that happened to my friend.

    Personally i would say apply for it they can only say no. Apparently on website 70% are refused but appeals usually get it. Just tell them its 7 days a week because as you know with fibro its unpredictable no day is exactly the same. Pain, exhaustion, fibro fog and so on......

    Go ahead you have nothing to lose.

    Regards

    Lollypops

  6. Hi, I have Fibro and have TMJ.

    Ask your Doctor about Lyrica. (pregabalin). I take 300mg a day.

    Do some research on it.

    It's now being used for Fibro and can help the TMJ.

    Or, gabapentin for the TMJ.

    Sorry this is brief. I'm new to these forums. and having a bad day with the fibro.

  7. Hi, I have TMJ and I have today started at a chiropractor, he thinks he can help. I found this out from another forum, I never would have thought about this before and certainly knowbody advised this. I have four more sessions booked within the next 2 weeks. I'll let you know whether it is a success!! I hope so, I've had TMJ for 10 years!! ;-((

  8. Hiya, I suffer from TMJ Fibro and ME, and was wondering how you went on at the chiropractor, as I am in agony at the moment with TMJ pain, would be grateful for any replies.

    Thanks x

  9. Hiya, gosh it was amazing!! Never felt so good. I have only pain in the area now, so much better. I haven't taken any paracetamol since I've had treatment. I used to have awful headaches, feeling sick, aching shoulders and neck when it was bad and lived on paracetamol. Now I massage the area where I've been shown if the aching in my jaw and face is bothering me. I would recommend you try it. It does cost, I pay £33 a time, but I think for the time I've spent in pain I don't care. Honestly, it's the best thing I've ever done. I'm off to see him again tomorrow. I'll give you an update after that.

    I hope I've helped you.

    Clair x

  10. Hiya Claire,

    Thanks for replying, I am going to try it , I will have to find somebody who is reputable I will have look on the internet, to see if there is anybody local, I live in Stockport. I am like you living on paracetamols and Ibuprofen. I have had treatment at our local hospital, acupuncture, but the effect only lasted a few hours. I don't think £33 is too bad if it helps.Look forward to your update.

    Joyce x

  11. Hi Joyce,

    Just come back from the chirpractor and I now don't have to go back for a week, so I've gone from twice weekly appointments to weekly, great! I just had my 5th appointment so it took just over 2 weeks to really make a difference to me. I've been given tips to do before my next appointment, for example, which parts to massage and to use an ice cube and/or hot flannel on the painful area should it flame up again. I did have and still have a sore spot right in my left jaw hinge, feels like a tooth ache. Not really painful, just a little nigly. and swollen. I'll keep you updated how I get on for the next few days. I'm in North Lincolnshire BTW and couldn't believe that there was a practice in my town, very handy! Let me know if you find somewhere you can try.

    Clair x

  12. Hiya Clare,

    I am glad all went well today with the chiropractor, I think that I might of found some one local who is good.I know about the hot and cold, I use a wheat bag, I put it in the freezer or the microwave, it does work, and feels really nice, especially, when it is warm. Does he do manipulation on your jaw, or massage? I was terrible yesterday, I went out, and there was a really cold wind, and it was so painfull all day. Today I put my hat on, and I am a lot better.Do you have this problem with the weather.I get a lot of pain in my forehead and temples too.

    I look forward to hear from you

    Joyce x

  13. Hi Joyce,

    Glad to hear you may have found a chiropractor. My chiropractor massages the jaw area, inside (inside my mouth) and outside on all the muscles, he presses on the muscles and also rubs them. It can be a little painful, but it subsides as he's pressing. There are lots of areas that I didn't even realise were connected! He also massages parts of my face and neck as that's connected too. Have a look at some pictures of the inside of the skull it might make more sense to see the areas and how they are connected together.. After my 5 sessions he's now only massaging the area directly on top of the jaw joint hinge, so there has been progress! I've now got a week before I go again, so there's an improvement for sure from my initial twice weekly appointments.

    Yes, I've read about the hot and cold thing before I went to see the chiropractor. There seems to be mixed feelings about it though, so was a little sceptical. I tried putting an ice cube in my month as he said and that wasn't very successful for me as I couldn't stand the coldness!! I find the warm flannel the best I have to say. Gosh yes going out in a cold wind is awful, I have a large selection of hats, never without them in winter. The pain you are getting in your temples and forehead is just like I was. Amazingly, I haven't had any pain there since my first session though. Difficult to imagine I know, but true!! All the jaw areas are connected to those areas you mention, so the pains directed there.

    Today, I feel much better after my session yesterday, my jaw is a little sore afterwards generally. I just have a bit of a fuzzy head today, no headache and hardly a glimmer of pain from my jaw. I'm now working on massaging the other side of my face and jaw, as working on the left has left the right a little tight. I'll see how I feel tomorrow!!

    Clair x

  14. Hi Clair,

    I am really glad the treatment is working well, I rang my GP today and he was supposed to be ringing me back, as they have a list of alternative therapist, so have not done anything today. But feeling a little better as is has been really warm here and it was nice to feel the sun on my face. I have a little dog and I took him for a walk. As I have got older I don't have the fatigue as much, but the pain has made up for it, but at least I can go out for walks, which is good for your spirit.

    Keep in touch let me know how you go on

    Joyce xx

  15. Hi I was wondering if anybody takes this combination of medication, I have fibro but also TMJ pain. I had a message from my consultant today and he said it was alright to take up to 20mg of Amitriptyline along with the 60mg of Duloxetine, to help relax the jaw muscles,and reduce tension, has anybody else tried this. Look forward to any replies. Hope you are still feeling well Claire.

    Joyce xx

  16. Hi Joyce, yes thanks, now working on re-alining my jaw with the chiropractor, as it isn't straight, which probably doesn't help the TMJ. Apart from that all good. I have to say I don't know anything about fibro at all, have you decided to go to a chiropractor as well to see how that goes? It may improve both??

  17. Hiya Clair,

    I have just had my medication altered a little bit, my Dr. has increased the dose of my tablets, as TMJ, is very common with people who have fibro, it is more the muscle surrounding the joint, rather than the joint itself. I am feeling a bit today, so I will just see how things go,but I am definately considering seeing a chiropractor if things don't keep improving. I have a soft splint that I wear in my mouth at night, and that helped re-aline my jaw.

    Will keep in touch Joyce x

  18. Hi All,

    I am new to this site. I have suffered with FM for MANY years & have reached the point of acceptance I suppose, although always hoping for a cure.I am able to manage my symptoms reasonably well after years of treatments, some helpful, most not!

    Several years ago I suffered terribly with TMJ & was in agony a lot of the time & could barely open my my mouth & certainly couldn't eat an apple normally. I went through all the usual performance of seeing the

    dentist, getting the mouth guard for night time, then scans, x rays etc which concluded I had Arthritis. Eventually the pain went.

    This is the pattern of events that usually occurs when I get a severe pain somewhere in my body which will not go away. After loads of investigations & various treatments, including drugs, physiotherapy, Osteopathy the pain persists but then disappears or just pops up occasionally but in a less severe manner. Then I get a 'new pain'!

    Don't suppose that's much help or comfort but I get less upset these days when a new pain strikes. Always get things get checked out though as knowledge is power as they say & you may find a bit of one treatment may help a bit.

    Annie C

  19. Hi Annie,

    I am a bit like you I have suffered with M.E. for thirty years, then about three years ago started with awful jaw pain, I went along the same path as you, now it is very manageable, then I had pain in my ribs, then breastbone,have had everything checked out with my GP, who reassures me that it is fibro. I have recently been prescribed Duloxetine, and I am starting to feel so much better.I feel like I have been waiting all this time for this medication to come along.it was prescribed to me from the Fibro clinic at our local hospital. I think this site is good, as, as you say a bit of extra knowledge is power.

    Joyce x

  20. Hi Joyce,

    that's good news about the Duloxetine. I've been on Venlaflaxine for years for depression & take a small dose of Amytripteline every night to help keep headaches at bay. I will look into the Duloxetine as it seems to be used specifically for FM according to my rather quick google just now.

    Yes...every little helps!

  21. Hi Annie,

    I too take 10-20 ml of Amitriptyline at night too,as is stops my clenching my jaw,as I mentioned before, I have not looked back since I started Duloxetine, I take mine in the morning, as it kept me awake when I took it in the evening

    x

Reply to this discussion

Advertisements

Disclaimer: Patient.co.uk has no control over the content of any external links. Inclusion does not imply endorsement by Patient.co.uk.

Discussion Forums' Terms & Conditions