All due to TMJ?

[Nonameme]

2 years ago during Covid I had a face to face with a GP I did not know I told her I had earache most days headaches neck pains and a feeling of a blocked head with no mucus. With no examination she told me it was all in my head. I burst into tears and was shown out of the surgery. I tried various options, dentist and audiology (I wear hearing aids). Thy told me I needed to see ENT. Itried for over a year to get GPS to refer me but they kept telling me not necessarily as it was just anxiety and put me on antidepressants. I then started to become ill with various other problems and was always dismissed with just anxiety.

I am a 76 year old woman and have had to resort to private consultations which have confirmed I am suffering various ailments all real including last week ENT diagnosed TMJ.

My question is can TMJ really cause all this head pain and tinnitus. I am full of self doubt now as I cannot believe a GP Can have made me suffer over 2 years with this and having diagnosed’in the head’ all other medical problems since. Therby sending me into deep depression.

I have been refered to maxofacial and had my lumps which were nothing removed as proven bcc.

I feel this is medical negligence.

[rabbits65]

I’m sorry to read how much you have suffered. I too suffered some pain with this TMJ joint , I was lucky it got better on its own, I am left with tinnitus though not sure if TMJ is the cause. The dentist was very helpful at the time, about 2 years ago.

[waterfalls123456]

It feels like discrimination to me too. Too old to investigate. Let's pass it off as mental health. Not sure how you tackle this no win no fee solicitor ?

[Nonameme in reply to waterfalls123456]

That is exactly how it feels!

[Happyrosie]

all I can offer is deep sympathy. If you are with the same practice, and the original doctor is still at that surgery, it might be worth putting in a complaint to the practice so that other patients are not so badly treated.

[Nonameme in reply to Happyrosie]

I did complain at the time but was fobbed off by the head ‘GP’ who has known me for many years. He told me that this doctor would speak with me but she never did. He too supported her diagnosis with no further investigation an opinion that I feel headlines my notes.

On another thread IBS I have told about how this same dr refused to refer me to gastroenterologist. I have since seen him privately and am undergoing urgent investigations he is shocked. I am seriously considering no win no fee

[Linley]

Ask PALS (patient advice and liaison service) 😁

[Happyrosie in reply to Linley]

good point Linley - though I thought they only did hospitals?

[Linley in reply to Happyrosie]

Sorry for late response but Nomameme refers to their GP for having 2 years of being told it was in 'her head' so I thought PALS would be a good place to start

[Compressorman]

uk pat suggests many areas u can pursue?do u grind ur teeth, try neck exercises.

[Nonameme in reply to Compressorman]

To my knowledge I have never ground my teeth and I used to attend a dentist regularly and it has never been picked up including Xrays in December 2022 at Bupa!

However in the 60’s and 70’s I was in an abusive marriage and was often beaten about the face and elsewhere- at that time considered’my fault’ so live with it!

In 1971 I was also in an rta and damaged my pelvis badly- only discovered many years later due to back pain and more problematic very recently - was referred by local consultant for urgent back surgery but then Covid and never mentioned again. Pelvic damage only discussed after fall at Christmas eventual Xray told GP next day to see me urgently- earliest appointment available was 3 weeks so still waiting in agony too! All this and told you have pain medication- yes co codamol which I have had for years and does very little so just about at wits end now.

[Karlos99]

sorry to hear what you’ve been through. It’s a disgrace fobbing people off.

Part of my tinnitus is somatic which changes the tone and volume when I open and close my mouth. The dentist Said I have tmj disfunction. He gave me a mouth guard and exercises and referred me to hospital. This was a few months ago. The mouth guard and exercises haven’t helped and I’m still waiting for hospital.

[Doxiemom1]

I have tmj and yes it can cause all those problems.

[Nonameme in reply to Doxiemom1]

Thank you I so doubt myself since being told ‘all in my head’ it has been a bad 2 years.

[Doxiemom1 in reply to Nonameme]

I know what you’re talking about. Mine has been too

[Spencersmum]

Hi there is a good link about complaining about the NHS on the NHS website. I tried to add it but possibly I haven’t been a member long enough or put in enough posts.

If you contact your local integrated care board (ICB) for complaints about primary care services (GPs, dentists, opticians or pharmacists) and secondary care, such as hospital care, mental health services, out-of-hours services, NHS 111 and community services like district nursing.

Every ICB will have its own complaints procedure, which is often displayed on its website.

PALS though is a good starting point or your local Citizens Advice could help.

If this GP if being obstreperous and has denied you referrals and correct medical treatment/diagnosis resulting in you having to go elsewhere who is to say she hasn’t done similar to other patients?

I spent 10 years being told that the problems I had with my ears were ‘all in my head’. I eventually managed to get referred to ENT. From 2010 to 2017 no issues but I do dislike dealing with the medical profession when it comes to tinnitus.

If they can’t hear hoofbeats they don’t know whether to think horses or zebras so some of them think it must be all in your head.

Good luck with your complaint. I’m sorry you had to go through all this hassle before getting help.