Topic: Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD)

[rallim]

I was wondering if anyone else on the forum has this condition? The disorder manifested itself about three weeks ago. I was out on a Heavy Rigid vehicle lesson and I went to speak to the instructor when there was this almighty crack from the right side of my jaw, it was loud and painful, even the instructor heard it and went ?what the f@@k? was that? After a week the pain was still there so went to the doctors who sent me for an X-Ray and was diagnosed with arthritis and damaged cartilage of the Temporomandibular joint. Now its painful and uncomfortable to open my mouth wide, yawning for example, chewing or biting. There is a grating sound when opening or closing the mouth when Im eating, a dull, aching pain in right hand side of the face and some numbness.  Its getting to the stage I dont want to eat now because of the pain and the grating of the bone and I feel as if the jaw is ready to lock which is causing the grating before it releases.

[Curry Barking Mad]

See what happens when you overcook your bhajis.......

[rallim]

Lol CBM, told my bro that I had been eating to many curries and that the spices and chilies had corroded the cartilage of my jaw, daft bugger believed me and started to worry as he loves spicy Indian food as well :-)

[Curry Barking Mad]

Lol CBM, told my bro that I had been eating to many curries and that the spices and chilies had corroded the cartilage of my jaw, daft bugger believed me and started to worry as he loves spicy Indian food as well :-)

 ;D Funny story mate, seriously though, what's the future with that likely to be?
Mick

[rallim]

Hi Mick, reading back my post I should have said eroded instead of corroded. 

I have spent some time on internet looking; there are many bad cases out there but one of the worst cases was the actor Burt Reynolds

?Burt Reynolds was hit on the jaw. He didn't work for three years. His weight dropped to 140 pounds. He had TMJ dysfunction. Here is how Mr. Reynolds described his problem. "When your jaw, your bite, goes off, your equilibrium goes off, too. You're in a kind of brain pain that comes up and whips your eyeballs out. Then the nausea starts. It is like being seasick all the time. You throw up, can't lie down, and can't take any light. If the phone rang, I'd fall on the floor with a pillow over my head because of the pain. I had tubes in my ears and I didn't eat, just drank soup. I kept getting thinner and thinner. It was scary. I got real carved cheekbones. Friends suggested I see a psychiatrist."

"There are thousands of dentists who don't know how to treat it. I saw 13 of them. Finally, I found a guy in Florida and spent weeks.......... Asked when he finally decided to take control of life again, he said, "The moment I woke up and was no longer nauseated."

My pain or discomfort is nothing like he experienced but my fear is, it will get worse with wear and tear. Just now I have to think about my jaw position when brushing my teeth or when shaving and eating is becoming a chore not enjoyable. I've had to give up karaoke singing but I'm sure a few people won't be complaining about that. ;-) Trying to find a dentist who knows how to treat properly is imperative, as it can be made worse if the wrong treatment is administered. I have already seen a couple of dentists but got a feeling they didn't know too much about it so the search goes on but I will get there, just keep taking the pills until then.... 

George

[Peripatetic Phil]

My pain or discomfort is nothing like he experienced but my fear is, it will get worse with wear and tear. Just now I have to think about my jaw position when brushing my teeth or when shaving and eating is becoming a chore not enjoyable. I've had to give up karaoke singing but I'm sure a few people won't be complaining about that. ;-) Trying to find a dentist who knows how to treat properly is imperative, as it can be made worse if the wrong treatment is administered. I have already seen a couple of dentists but got a feeling they didn't know too much about it so the search goes on but I will get there, just keep taking the pills until then.... 

Jeez, not nice.  If I were you, I would ask for a referral to a dental hospital.  UCL have one, if you are in London.
** Phil.