Hi
I just wanted to say that I myself don’t have tmj, but I’m writing regarding my mom, who has had severe tmj for about 4 years now. My mom first started having really severe headaches 4 years ago, which no doctor could really explain why. They performed several cat scans and MRIs, to rule out any possibility of problems with her brain, and found nothing. One doctor then suggested that she had sinus problems and that was what was causing her headaches. She then got referred to a million doctors, who decided she should have sinus surgery. But before the surgery she just happened to visit a dentist, and explained the surgery she was about to go through. He then said that her symptoms sounded like she could have tmj. My mom then decided not to do the surgery and pursue help for her tmj. During that year my mom only had severe headaches about 2 or 3 times a week, not constant, and very little jaw pain. After researching a few doctors in the bay area, we found one that claimed that he had the “cure” to tmj. We then went to go see him and start treatment. He told my mom that her right disc was displaced and gave my mom, two splints a hard night time one and a bottom splint to wear during the day 24/7, which cost $6,000. She wore the splints for about 6 months, with no improvement, she actually got worse. She can no longer touch her front teeth together and her bite seems much worse. We then decided to end treatment with this so-called “tmj specialist,” who told my mom that he was the only one who could “save her from her misery” and that if she stopped his treatment, she was hopeless and might as well kill herself. I don’t even have words to explain that horrible doctor! My mom then tried having acupuncture and chiropractic work done, but none helped. In the past year her headaches have become even more severe, and daily. Her jaw (right side) now hurts all the time and the pain travels down to her neck and shoulders. She can no longer eat any type of hard food and has a lot of pain even talking. We have also tried physical therapy, but they only gave her some simple exercises to do, which didn’t help. Her general doctor prescribed her ibuprofen, but that didn’t even touch the pain. She is now taking 60mg of an anti-depressant, amitriptyline (Elavil), which helps some. It gives her 1 or 2 days during the week with low pain levels. So, as of now we don’t know where to go next. I’ve spent countless hours researching this on the web, and I don’t know what we should do next. I’ve found several doctors around the bay area that claim to treat tmj, but I’ve lost all trust in doctors/dentists, who are money hungry and could care less. So I really don’t know where to turn next. If anyone has any advice as to what we should do, we are willing to try anything! I just can’t bear to watch my mom in so much pain, and depressed all the time, she seems to believe that no one will be able to help her, since her last doc brainwashed her into believing she is hopeless. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!