Hogle Zoo on 6/19/09

I have TMJ Disorder

I found out that I have TMJ Disorder 6 months ago from my ENT doctor. I've been going back and fourth from seeing my doctor, an allergist, ENT doctor and a neurologist. Last year in March my ears starting driving me nuts. They were driving me nuts by throbbing and it was keeping me up at night. So I went in to see my doctor and he said it was some kind of ear infection so I got some antibotics to take. They helped a little bit but the throbbing didn't go away. Also around this same time my jaw was acting weird. My mouth was having a hard time opening and it hurt a little bit. I ignored it because I was concerned about my ears. So I went and saw an ENT doctor. He first thought that there was something wrong with my teeth. So I went and saw a dentist and he said my teeth and gums were fine and he thought that it was my sinuses. So I went back to see my ENT doctor and said that I have TMJ Disorder. So for the treatment of TMJ all I have to do is wear a mouth piece at night and during the day if I don't go anywhere. And then take 4 ibprofen every 6 hours for the pain. I have been doing that but my ears still drive me nut and my neck and shoulders hurt. Also I've been getting these horrible migraines aswell. So this one time I went in to see my ENT doctor because I thought I had a sinus infection he recommended me to go see a neurologist. So I saw a neurologist for my migraines and she gave me some medications to take to help prevent them and for the pain.

My ears are still driving me nuts so I looked up on the internet throbbing ears and it came up with pulsatile tinnitus. I read a lot about it and figure this is what I have. I showed the paper to my ENT doctor yesterday and he said that tmj can have tinnitus or it can triger tinnitus or something like that. And my doctor told me that there is nothing he can really do for the tinnitus really. But he said that if it doesn't get any better to come back in to see him. So when I got home from the doctor yesterday I looked up TMJ Disorder Systoms and TMJ Disorder Treatment. Here is what the sysmtoms of TMJ Disorder are:

Eye Pain and Eye Problems:

Bloodshot eyes
Blurring of vision X
Eye pain above, below and behind eye
Pressure behind eyes
Light sensitivity X
Watering of the eyes X

Head Pain, Headache Problems, Facial Pain:

Migraines X
Forehead pain X
Cluster headaches X
"Sinus Type" headache X
Hair and/or scalp painful or sensitive to touch
Headaches at the back of the head, with or without shooting pain X

Teeth and Gum Problems:

Clenching during the day or at night X
Grinding teeth at night (bruxism) X
Tooth pain X
Sensitive teeth X

Mouth, Face, Cheek, and Chin Problems:

Discomfort or pain to any of these areas X
Pain in cheek muscles X
Uncontrollable tongue movements
Jaw and Jaw Joint Problems X
Limited opening X
Inability to open the jaw smoothly or evenly X
Jaw deviates to one side when opening
Inability to find the correct bite with teeth
Clicking or popping jaw joints
Uncontrollable jaw movements

Ear Pain, Ear Problems:

Hissing, buzzing, ringing, or roaring sounds X
Diminished hearing
Clogged, "stuffy", itchy ears X
Feeling of fullness X
Ear pain without infection X
Balance problems, vertigo, dizziness X

Throat Problems:

Swallowing difficulties X
Tightness of throat
Sore throat with no infection X
Voice fluctuations
Laryngitis
Tongue Pain

Neck and Shoulder Problems:

Neck pain X
Tired, sore neck problems X
Shoulder aches X
Back pain (upper and lower) X
Arm and finger tingling, numbness, and/or pain
Stiffness X

I put an X by all the systoms that I have. So I now truely know that I do have TMJ Disorder. So I've been thinking on what other ways I can treat TMJ Disorder. I was thinking about doing physical therapy again, getting a massage done or seeing a chiroprator. I"m thinking about seeing a chiroprator. What do all of you think I should do? And where I feel the pain the most is in my neck, shoulders and in migraines. This one time my neck was hurting really bad and I threw up from the pain. I have never threw up from a migraine before and that migraine that I had in my neck was the worst. So hopfully when I go see a chiropractor it will help my TMJ to go away and maybe it was also help my chronic sinus infections to go away too. If not then I will be moving to Australia. Please let me know if I should do physical therapy, massage or go see a chiroprator. Thanks a million!!!