Tmj advice anxiety

[hippieebbbz09]

Hi

I wanted to know how has tmj affected your anxiety & if so are you seeking out any treatment ? Any advice because my tmj is affecting me . My upper back / neck aches , my head near my temples ache, right above my ears. My jaws feel like glue is stuck to them. My thoughts are racing. Sometimes I get confused and frustrated and feel like if I don’t act out any of my thoughts I’m harming myself. I have to learn to relax . It sucks . So yeah , any advice? Any other issues bother you stemming from tmj other than jaw clenching ?

[HearYou]

OK. Will try to explain my situation.....Yours may be different.

Your TMJ is the joint holding your jaw to your skull. Go see a dentist for a bite guard to wear at night. You are grinding or clenching your teeth probably without even knowing you're doing it. Need to relax that jaw joint and muscles to relieve pain, etc. If you can't afford a dentist, buy one in a pharmacy and try it. Use it every night. The grinding is also wearing out your teeth. The only relationship I can tell with you is your anxiety is causing you to clench or grind your teeth. The TMJ pain and other resulting effects may increase your anxiety. It's a vicious cycle. So do the one thing you can do to help break the cycle. Get a bite guard and use it every night. I have an expensive one made by an orthodontist but has lasted nearly 20 years. It was worth every penny.

My TMJ had no pain, but heard popping when I ate. I was actually born with a jaw that was a tiny bit too short. Nothing one could see from looking at me. Minutely short. Had surgery to split my jaw bone, move it forward a very tiny amount, plates and screws were attached until the bone grew back together. Then I got fitted with a bite guard to protect my jaw joint (TMJ surgery). Most people do not need any surgery. I never had any pain, or anxiety other than attending law school when I learned I was grinding my teeth and probably clenching them too which was wearing out the TM joint and my teeth, So I had it corrected. Law school is no picnic. It was tension from day one until I graduated...so yes I had anxiety about that, and was taking it out on my teeth and jaw without realizing it.

Hope that answers your questions.

[hippieebbbz09 in reply to HearYou]

Yeah I’m trying to get insured again so I’ll have to get a bite guard at like Walgreens, but it is indeed a vicious cycle . I hate it.

[HearYou in reply to hippieebbbz09]

BUY that darn bite guard IF a dentist or orthodontist says you need one. Go see a dentist or orthodontist to see if that is what you need. Don't waste the money on buying cheap drug store one that sells for less than $20 if you hve anyway to get to a dentist or orthodontist first. They basically are plastic that you heat and then place in your mouth and bite down. If it works, great...meaning if it keeps your teeth from touching one another at night when you wear. it. AND it will take time and frustration for you to get used to wearing it over your upper teeth.

Sometimes we can expect insurance to pay for everything; you have to budget money and pay for what you need. I have learned when push comes to shove and I need something medically and no insurance to cover it, I find some way to get the money...even if that means borrowing it.

My orthodontic fitted one cost $800 US 0ver 20 years go...Probably would cost well over a $1000 now.

I am not being mean, just realistic and I'm tired and need to go to bed. So please do not take the way I answered meant to be aggressive or unkind, ok?

[hippieebbbz09 in reply to HearYou]

I also noticed how anxious I was that I forgot I posted about this already :/ lol 🤦🏽‍♀️ but maybe this is saying to me to get that darn bite guard

[HearYou in reply to hippieebbbz09]

That's ok. No worries. Yes, see a dentist and get a bite guard.

[hippieebbbz09 in reply to HearYou]

Totally agree with ya! 😊 lol