I can't find any useful information on causes of this, but I am gradually getting worse, and now wake most mornings with my jaw locked. I have some exercises to release the muscles, but that only lasts as long as I don't do it again.
Anyone had any experience? Any ideas on causes? I am not particularly stressed at the moment. When I did my cortisol a couple of years ago it was elevated throughout the day, but I would think its dropped since then. Maybe time to do it again just to find out!
I'm on NDT - struggling at the moment to get the local NHS lab to do T3, and my T4 is at the bottom of the range. I think I will give in and go to Blue Horizon if I can get the surgery to take the blood for me - its unrealistic to do the fingerprick thing for me, too much of a blood wimp!
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Ruthi
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My dentist made me a mouth guard to wear at night to prevent me grinding my teeth. Completely eased the head and neck problems I was having cranial osteopathy to relieve.
I don't grind my teeth, just clench them, and tense up the muscles in my neck and shoulders especially. Dentist does not think a mouth guard will help because I don't grind, just clench, and would just clamp down on the guard!
Ruthi you have my sympathy, years ago I had this problem the pain was unbearable, just lifting my head of the pillow in the morning sent stabbing pains through my head, ears & neck. I didn't grind my teeth either.
I used relaxation techniques before sleeping, to relax my muscles & also adjust the position of the jaw(ie sleeping with your mouth slightly open) I had a guard made & this helped too.
It went away for years, then with the stress of ill health came back. This time I bought a sports guard ( ones you heat up and then it moulds around your teeth) & did the relaxation again, & it worked. I think you have to retrain your muscles to relax & be in a different position when you go to sleep. So relaxation & then putting in the guard may help.
To relax the muscles clench teeth together tightening muscles & relax & let go - keep doing it until your muscles are really relaxed. Hope this helps & good luck.
Tetany. Could be calcium or magnesium deficiency. Calcium is easily checked by your GP with a blood test. Magesium can't be checked by a blood test, best way is to supplement and see if it works. I'd suggest you supplement with calcium / magnesium citrate and see if it gets better. Ask you GP to check your calcium levels if it hasn't been done in the lasst few years.
i already supplement with magnesium. Serum calcium was last checked in 2010 when it was mid range. I have had hair and urine tests since and it was fine on those too. I eat loads of eggs and cheese - and green veg.
I still have this but no where near as much as before I started NDT. It came day or night and took huge effort to relax the muscles. relaxation, meditation help but don't stop it. wish I could be of help It sucks I know but there is hope as thinking about it don't think its happened for a few weeks. Maybe when you get optimum on NDT it will ease or stop . Fingers painfully crossed for you. It is very common in fibromyalgia apparently,
According to Earl Mindell the following may help teeth grinding, though I appreciate that's not what you are doing, perhaps the same could help? Nsp, vitamin B complex am + pm and bonemeal tablets before sleep.
I don't think its magnesium, but other reading suggests that potassium can also cause problems to I will give the Adrenal Cocktail another go.
Overall everyone seems to agree its tension, despite my lack of stress in life. I am at a bit of a loss as to how much more relaxation I can go in for. I meditate twice daily most days!
Yesterday my melatonin arrived. I took .75mg last night, and that did make a real difference. Which does rather tie in with the cortisol theory. I think I need another cortisol spit test.
My dentist explained - You can get a mouth guard specifically for clenching (as opposed to one for grinding). About £100 for either
If money is no object you can apparently get one that does both - about £400 I think
I have just got one for grinding. I was extremely sceptical and thought I would find it too weird to wear and that it might make sleeping difficult. Much to my surprise and delight I find it really comfortable and it helps enormously. I no longer wake with aching jaw 😃
My husband also loves it and finds it great relief ......as he said before I got this, it was like sleeping next to a constant cement mixer!
Thought I would report back on this. I came across a suggestion that parasites might be the cause of baptism, and was pointed towards Humaworm. Unfortunately it has to come from Canada, and I worked out that I would be mid treatment when I arrive in the bush on holiday. So I looked around for a UK equivalent, and bought Elle Belle Eliminateur.
Ten days in my symptoms have lessened considerably. No obvious effect so far on my gut, but something may be changing!
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