temporomandibular joint pain with lupus?

[lormiccro]

has anyone suffered with this and been attributed to your lupus? Drying me to distraction at the moment. It’s a new symptom for me and so painful

[Tre123]

yes I have had it for quite a while ☹️

[StardustZiggy in reply to Tre123]

Yes, had what was thought "lock jaw". Has taken me 18months to see the dental team, just had a MRI, who knows what it will show. It has improved, however I decided to follow the investigations through. This year, I've had a conclusion on my digestive tract - lupus, waiting for gynaecology problems and temporomandibular joint pain also probably linked to lupus. My mental health has taken a nose dive over the past 18months. My who body feels weak so, I'm trying physio - three types dry land , hydrotherapy and now gym physio. The appointments are so slow come about, but I will persevere.

[Autolupus]

I've had it twice, really painful but no clear connection with autoimmune conditions. It does ease but takes a long time so chin up. Key thing seems to be to try and relax the jaw and to try and not eat hard food eg nuts. There are exercises you can do which will help. Ask your dentist or GP surgery for them. My dentist made me a night guard which reduces clenching but it takes time to get used to it and I'm not diligent in wearing it when it is not painful which is really not clever. I had an mri which showed severe wear on the joint particularly in the closed position. I was supposed to have a second appointment with the max fax team in May but it has been put back to November. Who knows if even that one will happen but currently it's not painful but dreading the next flare. Hope you get some relief soon.

[Chris21]

have you been diagnosed with it? I ask as it was thought I had it but after examination and 3d xray, they ruled it out and decided it was trigeminal neuralgia, feels like tooth, jaw pain but also pain in my ear and cheek bone.

[Geeforce99]

hi yes I have it advised it’s part of lupus and my recent fibromyalgia diagnosis too they all overlap apparently it been off and on for last four years. Hope it eases soon for you.

[dg70]

Just wondering if its like other kinds of joint cease/lock anywhere else in the body? Short course of steroids and it sorts me out, I don't know if the jaw works the same as other joints? I know whenever I get any kind of jaw/cheek/eye pain I haven't found a painkiller to work well. Although I am on gabapentin now and this blocks the pain signal to the brain so I guess I would try that if it happens again to me in the facial area. I must be awful if you've had it a long time. Do you have Sjogrens Disease? That plays havoc with the mouth, gums, jaw etc.. I have found recently that its all trial and error with doctors and a lot of the time you suggest something to them and they treat it without really trying to get to the bottom of something. It's not really ideal but we are so hard to treat sometimes I think they are happy to give us a pill and get rid. Took 3 years for them to work out steroids were needed with joint ceasing and I suggested it because of recommendations from my Lupus group. Thank goodness for the knowledge of my Lupus group! You have to make your GP aware that this is affecting your life, if it is, and push for some sort of referral or treatment. Good luck

[DogHospiceMom]

I was diagnosed with Lupus & Sjogrens at the same time. When I went to a TMJ specialist for treatment, he himself had been diagnosed with Sjogrens the month before. So many of the symptoms cross over,

[MusicalFurbaby]

Yes, I have lupus and chronic TMJ pain. I had it investigated and it turns out I have 2 problems going on in the TMJs: congenital deformations, meaning my TMJs never properly developed; and active inflammation, most likely caused by lupus, and causing significant disintegration of the bones and dislocation of both TMJs. I wear a splint at night and do physio exercises which have reduced the pain, but the chronic pain persists, so ultimately I will need corrective surgery. I recommend getting a custom specialist splint made by a maxillofacial surgeon, rather than by a dentist. I tried both, and the custom specialist one gave me so much more pain relief. I wear it every night—I’m in a lot of pain if I don’t!