Degenerative Joint Disease (long--but Need Help) Posted: 01-20-06 21:12pm
Okay, it all began when my dd hit me under
my chin a few days before thanksgiving.
Within a week, I was in severe pain on my
right side. My jaw joint was hurting,
but so was the side of my head, the side
of my face, and my teeth. I could not
chew or bite on anything, and I was
talking through clenched teeth.
Within another week, I could only open my
mouth the width of 1 1/2 fingers.
After consulting my gp and my dentist, I
was referred to an orofacial pain
specialist. After an initial (expensive)
exam, he decided that I had joint effusion
and articular disc disorder.
After 2 weeks of meds and physical
therapy, the joint effusion was gone.
All of my radiating pain was gone. I
still had the severe pain right in the
joint, and I still can't open my mouth
very far.
Op doc suggested mri to see where exactly
my discs are. Results: my discs are
right where they are supposed to be, but
they are severely degenerated. Dr. Says
he doesn't know what this means, that my
case is so rare that it doesn't even have
a name. He doesn't know how to proceed
with treatment.
At this point, I feel like he's jerking me
around. I've seen him four (very
expensive) times, and I still don't have a
diagnosis or treatment plan.
I started doing research on the net and
found "degenerative joint disease." now,
i'm no expert, but it sure does sound like
what i've got. I think there's also a
possibility of ankylosis (loss of joint
movement resulting from fusion of bones
within the joint or calcification of the
ligaments around it).
If I could find this info so easily, what
is his problem. I wasn't kidding when I
said this guy is a specialist.
I apologize for this being so long, but
i'm at my wits end. If you have any
ideas, comments, or suggestions, I sure
would appreciate them!!!
I should have mentioned earlier....I have
had no prior problems with tmj, and I
don't fit the "profile." i've had no
clicking or popping....Joints have never
been displaced. My injury from dd did
not cause this. I also have never had a
problem with clenching or grinding, and I
see my dentist twice a year. Also, I am
in my 30's and do not have any other forms
of arthritis.
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catswold
Supporter
Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 404 Location: Flint, Michigan
Posted: 01-21-06 01:47am
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with
you. I definitely believe that the blow
from dd set off the problem. You don't
necessarily have the typical tmj that most
of us get because most tmj is caused by
grinding and clenching. Then there are
others who develop jaw problems (muscle,
ligaments, disc or bones) by other reasons
(injuries, wisdom teeth pulled, etc.) tmj
is a very complicated disorder and most
people only hear about the popping,
headaches and pain, etc. But an injury
like yours would cause different symptoms
and more than likely you would need
different treatments.
The degeneration that is shown of your
disc is actually not all that abnormal.
Many people have similar problems as the
jaw disc is the most used cartilage joint
in the body (eating & talking).
Studies have even shown that even when an
mri shows a disc out of joint, the
patients has absolutely no symptoms of tmd
and vice versus. I told you it was
complicated.
In your situation, all your research could
very well mean something, but also not
mean anything (don't get mad at me). But
I say this because right now I think you
need to concentrate on fixing the pain in
the joint and getting your mouth opening
more. It sounds like the pain specialist
may have done all he knows how to and you
might try a tmj specialist or a different
pain doctor. My tmj specialist has put
shots directly into my joint. That could
help you. I also think that continuing
physical therapy but changing the focus to
getting your mouth opening without pain.
I don't know if that means going to a
different pt or the same one.
I also apologize for writing so much.
You are a complicated case mostly because
your problems were "caused" by an injury.
Caused isn't the right word but i'm not
sure what other word to use. For now, I
would use lots of moist heat directly on
the joint and surrounding muscles, eat
only a soft diet (no gum or ice chewing),
continue pt (or massage therapy), and
maybe see a tmj specialist.
Oh, i'm also going to suggest something
that you might try that I normally do not
suggest. That is to see a chiropractor.
Over my long tmj years, I have only found
one chiropractor who helped so i'm always
hesitant, but I do think that if your neck
is worked on, it might help. But chiros
always seem to want to work on your back
and I don't allow that after one chiro
would crack my back every visit and my
back just started to hurt and didn't help
my tmj at all. The one good chiro only
worked on my neck and massaged inside my
mouth for a few seconds. Actually, if
you could find a pt or mt who could
massage inside your mouth that might be
your absolutely best bet. Sheesh, I
should have thought about that at the
beginning of the posting.
