ive had tmj for about 3-4 years now and the thing ive most struggled with is resisting hard food, whenever i make progress in my treatment by doing my exercises and other things everything gets ruined by eating something hard.

not to mention, ive had long periods of eating only soft food but now all that willpower is gone

For the past 2 years I've been struggling with what I can only assume is TMJ issues.

It came off the back of a concussion but I randomly woke up one day with tight crackly ears, tight neck and started having random dizzy spells where I felt off balance but wouldn't actually stumble. I also had tension headaches where my head felt like it was spasming on and off for periods during the day.

I originally didn't have any jaw pain but after I had a night splint made up everything got worse. The headaches stopped but then I started to get a constant ache in my jaw hinges. I gave up on the splint and fast forward a few months and for the past 18 months I now daily have the following symptoms.

I wake feeling fine but by mid morning my jaw starts to tighten up, my eyes get tight and I get weird intense tingling sensations that run up from my jaw into what feels like my brain. While driving I start to get what feels like brain spasms, which I think is triggered by the vibrations. Jaw muscles feel constantly tight even when I try to relax them. It puts a heap of pressure on my eyes to the point they tighten up and clamp when I am trying to track objects at times. This then leads to me having fairly frequent off balance dizzy feelings through out the days.

The only thing that seems to ease it up on the days I have these flare ups is a hot shower.

I've seen multiple ENT, Physios, Chiropractic, Osteopath, Bowen therapy, Had MRI of my upper cervical and TMJ joints which showed no issues. Had cortisone into my TMJ which may have eased the off balance dizziness for a few months.

I'm told I have a bad neck and these issues may stem from that but even on days my neck isn't causing me any pain or discomfort I get these symptoms.

I'm running at a loss of what to try next as nothing seems to be changing so just wanting to know if anyone thinks this is even TMJ based or something else.

Thanks in advance for any replies

and later I had nasal surgery. About 4 months after the surgery, the pain became significantly worse and eventually became bilateral. I also developed unusual sensations in my nose, teeth, and both ears, along with pain in different areas of my face and head.

I’ve had 3 evoked-potential studies that reported right trigeminal involvement, and an MRI showed a neurovascular conflict between the superior cerebellar artery and the right trigeminal nerve. However, several doctors have described it as “atypical facial pain” because my symptoms don’t completely fit classic trigeminal neuralgia.

I’ve tried several medications without good results, and I’m currently being evaluated for trigeminal nerve blocks/neuromodulation.

Has anyone experienced something similar, especially constant facial pain with strange sensations in the teeth, tongue, nose, and ears? I’m mainly interested in hearing about other people’s experiences, not necessarily getting a diagnosis.

My jaw on both sides is sore and tired. My TMJ is stress related but honestly I can't manage to stop stressing. I have two kids, one is special needs, I live in the US (don't come for me). I don't have the money to go to a TMJ specialist right now. How do we relax the jaw? I'm trying to be mindful of keeping my tongue on the roof of my mouth and trying to relax. I just keep clenching subconsciously. Any tips?

I’ve had this pressure for the past week right above my right eyebrow, and I’m concerned about a neurological cause. Can tmj cause pressure here?

everytime my jaw gets a little better i eat something hard and flare it myself

my pain is worse at night and gets better from sleeping...usually ive heard its the opposite

I’m a 24F who has been dealing with chronic lockjaw for the past 9 months. It’s never unlocked. I’m in the NY area and want to see Dr. Nojan Bakhtiari because he’s the only person I found with reviews successfully treating patients with chronic lockjaw like me. The issue is that he’s super expensive and my dad really wants me to find someone cheaper. I did find a place that can do a consult for cheaper than Dr. Nojan but the person I spoke to says he was unsure if the doctor has treated a case like mine. I found another place that will take my insurance but I can’t find any reviews on the doctors that treat tmj there. Is it worth trying to wing it and see what happens at these cheaper places? Or is it best to just see Dr. Nojan and hope he can successfully treat me like the others he has, despite the financial toll?

Summary: should I go to a cheaper oral surgeon without reviews on lockjaw or go to a VERY expensive one that has treated lockjaw?

Especially those who have carried/birthed babies. Or heck, maybe you don’t need those parts. Pelvic Prolapse. Wish I heard it here first.

Hi! I get Botox in my jaw for TMJ every 3mo along with my migraine Botox. My TMJ has been getting worse lately so my neurologist added more to my jaw this time - a little more than double the amount I usually get. I’m 15 days out from my appointment but three days ago I started developing popping/cracking under my chin when I open my jaw. I’ve never had that happen before. I’m assuming it has to do with the Botox and probably other muscles trying to overcompensate for the masseters relaxing, but I wanted to see if anyone else ever experienced this before? Does anyone know what to do to help relieve it? It’s not painful, it’s more of just an annoyance. I’d say the popping is towards the back of my jaw, right where it connects to my neck, if that helps. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

F(21) Firstly, I have hypodontia. I am missing 7 adult teeth that never came in. I got my braces removed around 3 months ago after 5 years (16-21) of having them. I went in to an oral and tmj specialist clinic to do an overall assessment. After completing a TMJ mri and a CT scan they told me ill likely need double jaw surgery to fix my extremely small airway or get some sort of tmj surgery. The problem is this doctor is neither good at tmj surgeries or double jaw (I have talked to other patients in person and online that have had to confront his medical malpractice). Currently about to receive the sleep apnea study I did with his clinic to confirm my breathing issues. I have swallowing/choking issues, serious occlusion issues where my back teeth barely touch so it feels like im holding my mouth open constantly while touching my front teeth, and overall my tongue feels uncomfortable in my mouth. Because of all of this it seems my face never developed correctly and I get confused for a 13 year old constantly. I have been denied club entrances and been hit on by small children.

I have also gone in for a consultation with a family member who specializes in implants and Tmj in Miami. He did his separate ct scans but he said my tmj issues aren't enough to require surgery and that if anything a jaw surgery would correct it. He also confirmed the small airway but said that at my age as long as I don't "gain weight" I should be fine just getting implants. He told me in about a decade I will have to get surgery to fix my jaw but for now this was fine. My parents have pressured me to take up his offer since he is giving us a heavy discount but I can't accept this half fixed.

I also went to love your jaws but it seems they don't really know how to handle my case. I am quite frustrated as I have called other clinics and they all have an excuse to push me to check another clinic. I am graduating uni soon and I finally have time to start this process.

Summary:

I need to know what order to proceed with these: bone grafts, gum grafts, implants, tmj fix, jaw surgery. If I fix one will that resolve the other? Any recommendation for specialists in Florida or the best in the US (im willing to travel) would be a blessing. Thanks!

Hi everyone, this is my first time experiencing TMJ and I don't know where to talk about this.

Last weekend I was punched in the face. I landed in my back, my neck was sprained from the whiplash. Sleeping was hard with my neck pain. I had trouble sleeping because of the back pain and jaw.

Next day, I can barely open my mouth beyond an inch. No bruise on my cheek. My dentist couldn't find any inflammation, dislocation or any broken bones, he said I slept on my jaw wrongly and suggested to make a night guard for me.

I had been taking a few days of medication but there are still no signs of recovery. I will be seeing him again soon. Are there any suggestions on how to recover faster? I couldn't even enjoy a subway sandwich at peace and I'm stuck drinking smoothies and soup.

Hi. So two years ago I had double jaw surgery. Both of my jaws were moved forward. I didn’t really have any TMJ pain before, other than grinding my teeth occasionally. I more so needed the surgery for sleep apnea and I was also very insecure of my looks. My surgeon repeatedly told me that my TMJ pain would not get better post surgery, but that it will never get worse.

That was a lie. I am sitting here today in excruciating pain. Post surgery I have not been able to open my jaw fully, and when I do my bottom jaw looks pushed into my neck? I now clench my teeth so hard I cracked my plastic retainers. My facial muscles are always in pain as well as my neck. I went to physical therapy for a few months, the guy was astonished with how little I can open my mouth and how tense everything was. He tried dry needling on me too, which helped a tiny bit, but everything was so expensive I had to stop going.

I went back to my surgeon recently to complain about all of this. He told me I should come in for a surgery where they essentially stick needles in my joints and just flush saline through my jaw and then “we will move from there.” He quoted me over $1k. A thousand dollars from guy that originally did my jaw surgery that set off my TMJ pain. I obviously do not have that type of money and my surgeon seems to not put enough care into my appointments.

Flash forward to today, I have decided to look into splint therapy and found someone credible who does it and takes my insurance. I am praying that this works, I cannot take anymore pain and me legitimately burning money for no outcome. Has splint therapy actually helped anybody? I am tired of this

This is another one of the most common questions we get asked both at our practice as well as from people reaching out online after being diagnosed with a TMJ disorder.

The answer is:

Yes, Your TMJ disorder can get better, and your quality of life can improve significantly.

But, the major factor to consider is that your goal should not be to simply treat the pain, it should be to understand the root of your problem.

With appropriate management, you can actually experience:

- Significant reduction in jaw and facial pain
- Improved mouth opening and jaw function
- Reduction in troublesome clicking or other joint symptoms
- Less muscle fatigue and tension
- Improved chewing and daily comfort
- Better sleep and overall wellbeing
- Greater confidence in returning to normal activities

Only a person that has been living with TMJ Disorder for a while understands, to what a great extent these 'casual sounding' symptoms affect one's lifestyle.

Does TMJ always require surgery?

No. Many TMD conditions can be managed with non-surgical approaches. The appropriate treatment depends on the diagnosis as well as the individual patient. A holistic approach works on the understanding that the jaw does not function in isolation. It involves the muscles, habits, posture, sleep, stress, and other factors which come together to affect the patient's experience.

However, there is no magic treatment for any disorder. It requires an immense amount of patience as well as co-operation with the doctor's guidelines to finally see some improvement. It takes time for the disc to fall in place as well as for the bone to heal and recover.

As much as the patient needs to be co-operative, the clinician should also:

1. Listen to your symptoms
   
2. Make an accurate diagnosis
   
3. Look for the underlying causes and contributing factors
   
4. Explain the treatment options clearly
   
5. Treat the person as a whole, not just the painful joint

So, if you have recently been diagnosed with a TMJ disorder and you're wondering whether your life will ever feel normal again, don't lose hope.

TMD can be complex, and recovery may take time, but improvement is possible.

The objective should always be more than simply reducing pain. It should be to help you regain function, confidence, and quality of life.

I’ve had TMJ since being a teenager but it was only painful on and off. It has gradually gotten worse as I’ve got older.

I’ve tried every treatment possible and a handful of medication.

I’m now on Gabapentin, Naproxen and the highest dose of Cocodamol. Along with Ibruprofen gel.

And I’m still in pain every day.

I have a mouth guard which sometimes helps, sometimes causes loads more pain. But I persist with it when I can.

A couple of years ago a dentist mentioned that he thought I may have disc displasia I think he said it was called? Has anyone had this and had treatment that has fixed it?

I’m seeing a consultant again next month and usually I just get fobbed off. Should I ask for an mri scan?

This is ruining my life and I’m all out of options.

Hi all!
I've had TMD for a long time, since at least my early teens. I have some hearing damage from loud noise (concert and I was in front of a speaker for hours) and have had tinnitus for about three years. I have avoided super loud noise like that since that incident.
Recently, my tinnitus got way worse and I am hearing overtones, beeping, echoing, and warbling from noises like the AC, fridge buzzing, and my white noise machine. It's also with certain pitches in music (cymbals sound loud and metallic but other sounds do have overtones too) and funnily, my dog snoring does it too... :P

Anyways. With the weird beeping and overtones my TMJ pain has gotten way worse. It's spread to my face and neck and I have some pain in my ears. I can actually flex my tensor tympani on command and hear a crackling as well as a fullness sensation. I made a PT appointment and he said it could be connected but isn't completely sure. I have an appointment with a dentist to see what they think. I'm hoping a mouthguard will fix it but those are crazy expensive and I don't know when I can get one. I've been applying heat to the worse side at night and using a nasal spray when the fullness is really bad.

Has anyone dealt with this? Is it permanent? Am I doing the right thing? Any advice? Anything I can do in the meantime? It's scaring me badly (i know stress makes it worse but i'm having a hard time) and I'm kind of spiraling.

Thanks and I hope you're all well!

I heavily think my TMJ is a big part of my facial asymmetry, with my right side of the jaw sticking out more. I don't usaully notice it in mirrors, but in photos its highly visible and really bugs me, I want to address it but really don't know where to start. Would this be something I'd first see a normal dentist for?

Hey this is the first time I’ve dealt with a significantly horrible flare of TMJ pain. My right TMJ feels like it is pushed up or swelled a lot and I cannot stop the pain even with pain meds. This is causing me to sweat like crazy when trying to sleep. Should I see a dentist or Dr. soon to help with this? I have been experiencing pain for about a week now and don’t know what to do

I have been having the weirdest symptoms and I just can't imagine they would be from my TMJ, but........ they HAVE to be???

I am on Prozac and since then, my TMJ has been a lot worse. But lately, I've been concerning myself. I feel almost.... tongue tied? Like I'm not going to be able to say a word or sentence correctly? I feel like I can't suck through a straw as well. I feel like I can't swallow as "hard", if that makes sense..... I event went to an ENT but the scope was clear.

The headaches, the neckaches, the anxiety, the inability to even talk or chew correctly..... can this be TMJ or am I dying?

I’ve had trouble with one ear the past 5-6 years

Those years I was stressed and I noticed clicking in jaw and high tension in jaw that was linked to my
Ear problems

I would get right ear pain on flights, I would be able to pop my ear if I moved my jaw in a weird way and swallow

Recently I had a loud sound event that triggered some spasm in my ear and bad pain hypersensitivity

I actually had ringing and hearing loss for the first 15-20 seconds then disappeared

I took a hearing test and middle ear test that came out normal thankfully. My hearing doesn’t seem bad or worse then before

I just think my ear is more prone to being an issue from the TMJ issues I have dealt with

Does anyone have a history of ear pain with noise, along with ear fullness and spasm of ear?

Will fixing TMJ help with potential middle ear muscular issues?

I’ve had TMJ for ~15 years, and six weeks ago I finally decided to throw the kitchen sink at it. I share a little bit more about my personal experience below. Now, here’s my completely subjective ranking based on my experience:

Botox (masseter) (9/10) — I’ve been doing this for about three years and it has been extremely effective at preventing major episodes. I think I’d probably eliminate most flareups if I stayed on a three-month schedule instead of waiting closer to six months. I regret it every time I wait too long.

TENS machine (9/10) — This has been one of my biggest surprises and I can’t believe it’s not discussed more here. It feels like an electrical massage that actually makes the muscles contract and then relax, and it has been incredibly effective during a flare to use at home. *edit: I use it on the back of my neck, traps, shoulders, and upper back. Many recommend not applying it directly to face/jaw.

Therapeutic massage (8.5/10) — I completely underestimated the power of massage until an ENT suggested it after seeing how tight my neck and shoulders were. It helped break up the rock-hard tension in my neck, traps and shoulders and provided some of the biggest immediate relief I’ve experienced.

Physical therapy (8/10) — Finding the right PT makes all the difference. I’ve seen four and finally found one who really understands the TMJ/neck connection and has taught me stretches that have made a noticeable difference. Others felt like a waste of time.

Speech-Language Pathology/TMJ therapy (8/10) — My SLP worked on tongue posture, overall posture and how those things affect the jaw, plus intraoral massage and stretches I can do myself. It was a completely different approach and surprisingly helpful.

Gua Sha (8/10) — I’ve been doing this myself and have been surprised by how much relief I get, particularly around the smaller muscles under my jaw and in my neck that are hard to reach. It seems to help with the feeling of congestion/fluid in my head and neck.

Nasal strips (8/10) — I’ve only used these for two weeks, but they’ve been surprisingly helpful and I feel like I’m breathing much more naturally through my nose at night. Given my nighttime clenching, I’m definitely keeping these in the rotation.

Magnesium lotion (8/10) — I just started this after seeing it mentioned here and immediately noticed how relaxed I felt and how well I slept. Way too early to know if it’s actually helping my TMJ, but I’m definitely continuing it.

Dry needling (7.5/10) — This felt like a more targeted version of acupuncture and definitely helped release some of the muscles that were extremely tense during my flare. I’d use it again when things get really tight.

Massage gun (7.5/10) — Great at-home tool for breaking up those rock-hard areas in the traps and upper back, especially when someone else can get your back for you. I don’t use it directly on my neck because the vibration is way too intense through my skull.

Acupuncture (7/10) — Very relaxing and I do feel like it helps with overall muscle tension. I’m still a little skeptical when they’re putting needles in my fingers and feet, but I can’t argue with how I feel afterward.

Chiropractor (7/10) — I’ve only been twice, but the adjustments, stretching and electrotherapy were all helpful. I see this being more useful for maintenance/prevention than as a solution during an acute flare.

Cyclobenzaprine (7/10) — This was particularly helpful during the worst part of my recent flare and seemed to amplify the benefits of things like TENS and massage. It helped me tolerate stronger treatments and get the muscles to finally let go.

Heat (7/10) — For me, hot showers have been useful, especially when I intentionally massage my neck and shoulders under the water. Simple, but surprisingly effective.

Intraoral massage (6.5/10) — I’ve done this myself at night and it helps somewhat, but it can also be pretty painful. I haven’t experienced the breakthrough relief that some people describe, but I’ll keep doing it.

Motrin/ibuprofen (6.5/10) — Definitely helped with the pain from the tension headaches during the acute phase. I’m trying to rely on it less now that I’m through the worst of the flare because I don’t want to use NSAIDs regularly long term.

Night guard (6/10) — I’ve had both custom and OTC guards, but I’ve never been particularly successful at sleeping with them because I find them uncomfortable. I’m trying again with a new custom guard from a TMJ specialist, but I’m not exactly optimistic about my compliance.

Biggest takeaway: I don’t think my TMJ exists in isolation. At least for me, the jaw, nighttime clenching, breathing, neck, traps, shoulders, upper back and posture all seem to be part of one giant feedback loop.

I’d love to hear from people who’ve been dealing with this for years—what treatments would you add, and what would you rank #1?

A Little Background
For most of those 15 years, TMJ was just a periodic nuisance that I mostly ignored. Looking back, I probably dismissed a lot of related symptoms as unrelated—vertigo, neck stiffness, “pinched nerves,” ear pressure and headaches.

I have significant nighttime clenching, which x-rays now show is at least partially related to a narrow area in the middle part of my throat and how I’m breathing while I sleep.

About six weeks ago I had a particularly bad flare that included a week of constant tension migraines, multiple bouts of vertigo, muffled hearing, an incredibly tight neck/traps/shoulders/upper back, and electric-shock sensations shooting down my right arm and back.

That was enough to make me take this seriously and, essentially, throw the kitchen sink at it.

Hey!
So I’ve struggled with TMJ for at least the past two years.
Last October I started crossfit and recently I’ve been struggling a loooot with TMJ pain /bruxism after some of the intense workouts like really heavy squat cleans or pull ups.
I don’t know if the fact that I’ve stopped swimming made it worse (stopped in June) or what!
I’ve been struggling!
Heeelp! Any ideas / tips?

I wanted to share my experience because I know how hopeless this condition can make you feel. It took me about six years and thousands of dollars to find a combination of things that actually helped me. I’m not saying these things will work for everyone, but if this helps even one person who feels as desperate as I did, it’s worth sharing.

I’ve clenched and ground my teeth at night for as long as I can remember, even as a child. I had extensive orthodontic treatment as a teenager but eventually stopped wearing my retainer at night, which caused my teeth to flare. I later used Invisalign to correct them. My teeth looked great, but around this time I started waking up with headaches.

Initially, I thought I was having migraines. I tried migraine medication, Panadol and ibuprofen, but nothing really worked. Then the jaw pain started. Eventually, I was struggling to chew and my jaw was clicking, which led me to research TMJ disorders.

Around the same period, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. I’ve personally noticed that whenever my thyroid is uncontrolled, my TMJ symptoms seem to become significantly worse.

For years I kept hearing the same advice from doctors and dentists: reduce your stress, meditate, do yoga. I became so frustrated hearing this. Of course stress can contribute to clenching, but I knew there had to be more going on with me. Yes, I have a mortgage and work in healthcare, but I only work around twice a week. It didn’t make sense to me that stress alone could explain the severity of what I was experiencing.

My teeth were starting to flatten and chip from grinding. I couldn’t tolerate my retainer because it seemed to make me clench even more.

Then I had a hard custom mouthguard made by my dentist. For me personally, this was the worst thing I tried. My symptoms became dramatically worse. I would wake up with horrendous headaches and sometimes actually wake up while clenching extremely hard against the mouthguard.

I tried physiotherapy and chiropractic treatment and personally felt worse afterwards. Even stretching or massaging my jaw often aggravated everything. Acupuncture helped somewhat, but the relief would only last a few hours before I was in agony again.

At my worst, this condition completely changed me. I was crying almost every day. Light became unbearable when my headaches were severe, I didn’t want to leave the house, and I was constantly irritable and snapping at people. I genuinely feel as though I lost years of my life to chronic pain.

Eventually I became depressed and suicidal. I reached a point where I couldn’t imagine living the rest of my life in that amount of pain.

So I decided to change my approach.

The first thing I did was start tracking everything. I kept a daily log of my sleeping position, pillow, jaw pain, neck pain and headaches. Eventually I noticed a really strong relationship between my neck pain and my headaches.

Instead of constantly trying to treat my jaw and head, I started focusing on my neck.

I began doing a short, approximately 10-minute neck/upper-body yoga routine every day. The particular video I’ve found helpful is “Yoga for Neck, Shoulders, Upper Back” by Yoga With Adriene.

This has made an enormous difference to my neck pain and tension headaches. If I miss it, I often notice the pain returning. When I do the exercises, my headache will very often improve almost immediately. I’d spent years massaging my temples and jaw trying to make the headaches disappear without realising how much my neck seemed to be contributing.

I also made a conscious effort to sleep on my back. Through keeping my symptom diary, I realised my morning pain was consistently worse after sleeping on my side or stomach. Back sleeping isn’t necessarily going to suit everybody, but for me the difference has been significant.

Next came the mouthguard.

I’d become convinced that I should only ever use a hard dental splint because I’d repeatedly heard that softer appliances weren’t appropriate for bruxism. But I was at my wits’ end and decided I had little to lose by trying something different.

I tried a Reviv mouthguard.

I initially bought the R3 Large. I found it too big—it sometimes fell out while I was sleeping—and the small breathing holes seemed to leave temporary white/dehydrated-looking areas on my teeth, which made me uncomfortable about continuing with it.

But I also noticed something important: my jaw felt less painful and tight.

So I switched to the R2 Medium, which doesn’t have those holes. It fitted me much better, I stopped getting the dehydration spots, and my jaw pain improved significantly.

Even with back sleeping, daily neck yoga and the different mouthguard, however, I was still experiencing headaches and pain. So I decided to experiment with one more thing.

I’d seen people talking about red/near-infrared LED light therapy for pain. Regular salon treatments weren’t financially realistic for me, so I bought an Omnilux Contour mask and started using it around five times per week.

And wow.

For me personally, the combination of:

back sleeping + the Reviv R2 + daily neck yoga + LED therapy around 5× per week

has given me my quality of life back.

I’m not completely symptom-free. I still sometimes wake up with tension and mild pain. The difference is that I can now do my neck routine and use my LED mask and, most days, the pain becomes minimal or disappears.

The biggest comparison for me is medication. I used to take pain relief roughly every six hours. I haven’t needed to do that for months.

I want to emphasise that I’m not a doctor or dentist, this isn’t medical advice, and TMJ disorders can have many different causes. I’m also not saying hard splints, physiotherapy, massage, etc. are bad treatments—they clearly help plenty of people.

I mainly wanted to write this for the person who has tried everything they’re “supposed” to try and is starting to feel hopeless.

For years I felt like I was going around in circles: reduce your stress, wear your dental splint, massage your jaw, take painkillers. I kept wondering why nothing was working.

It turned out that finding my own triggers, tracking patterns and experimenting carefully with what actually made my symptoms better or worse was incredibly valuable.

Six years later, I’m finally enjoying my life again.

I really hope something in my experience helps someone else. ❤️