Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group TMJ problems for the 1st time

Hi everyone.

Just wondering if some of you that have had to deal with TMJ pain before could offer some advice. I've not ever had it as an inflammed joint before, but as of Saturday it's seemed to creep (rather unwelcomingly) on to my top 10 list of most annoying things to deal with. I can hardly open my mouth (rude comments to a minimum please) - yes it hurts to eat, yes it hurts to talk (not to mention that my voice doesnt sound quite right), and dont even THINK about yawning! Not to mention the lovely headache that began to accompany it! Does this sound about right?

I'm trying to rule out other reasons for the jaw pain - so easy to blame it on the AS when it could be something that I can actually fix. Does anyone recommend going to a dentist to see if I've suddenly started grinding my teeth at night, or if my wisdom teeth have suddenly popped up? Do those things feel the same?

Thanks for your help in advance.

Hugs,
Jeanna

MADE IN CANADA

Interesting one this one...

The symptoms seem classic for AS affected TMJ... when I was really suffereing with this couldn't swallow tablets or food very easily... used to choke several times a week with stuff getting stuck. It was suggested that I was grinding my teeth and should eat more apples!

I had a camera shoved up one of my nostrils (by an ENT specialist) to have a look down my throat (opium based numbing spray was quite cool ) and then had a barium swallow x-ray / scan to ensure that all the rest of the process was OK... not so pleasant!

The conclusions, well, nothing was identified as being wrong with neck, jaw, gullett etc.... and they never really managed to say conclusively that it was AS related however, it was at the time when I was having a major flare in my neck as well so looking back on it I'm 99% sure it was related.

So,

Restricted mouth opening = Yes
Pain eating and talking = Yes
Pain Yawning = Yes
Headaches (especially caused by muscle tension at the base of skull) = Yes
Difficulty swallowing = Yep

Whilst I am naturally unqualified medically, I think its unlikely to be teeth grinding although stress can play a major part in a) causing that and b) exacerbating it!

Cheers
Jo

Hi Jeanna,

Anytime I've had this pain, it has started in my ears. It feels like an earache, a dull ache that runs from my ear down my neck. It took me a long time to figure out what it was. The dentist told me finally. Happened to have him check it because I thought I had an abcess[sp?] in the back of my mouth
Now I just seem to get it with dental work, when the jaw is wide open for a long period of time.
[apparently I can gab and eat without doing that]


He always told me to alternate heat and ice.......... on 20 min. and off 20 min....I think. I haven't had it for awhile. It is a big pain for sure and if it's your first time, might be worth having someone looking to make sure it's not something else.

Good luck....................

hugs,
linda

Hi Jeanna,

Sorry to hear you have TMJ now. It is an extremely annoying pain! It sounds like your symptoms describe it...

I don't know how your insurance works... but TMJ is not unsually covered here... BUT they did pay for me to go physical therapy (doesn't make sense) and I had great success with it helping my pain and getting me to open my mouth again. I couldn't even get one finger in between my teeth for a long time... I lived off Ensure, yogurt and very small peices of food.

Kiss my AS, Amy

Strutsy,

My daughter who is 21, had to have her wisdom teeth cut out because they where putting to much pressure on the back of her jaw causing it to hurt badly. She also had a diffcult time eating or just opening her mouth. Once removed she had no more problems. AS part of it when I was into about four years of not knowing I had AS and was not on medications I experienced the same thing. Was not caused by wisdom teeth for I have none. You can experience the same systoms you are know with AS however if you are on medication they usually do not pop up but every know and then. I have had problems for several months and then went away and so far has never shown up again. Good luck and peace be with you.

Rickey

It does sound like the same symptoms I get from TMJ, just started having it this past year, hurts to eat, talk(!), etc., had to cancel a tooth cleaning in May because I couldn't hold my mouth open. I find lying on a heating pad (not the kind you plug in) when I go to bed at night helpful. One word of caution, though, I am now so used to TMJ bouts that I actually put off even calling the doc when in June I thought it was TMJ and it got progressively more painful - - turned out to be an inner ear infection, cleared up quickly with anitibiotics. Easy to mistake the two, as TMJ often causes pain in the ear. Is there a little popping like thing in your jaw you notice when you move it? In any case, best to rule out ear infection. NSAIDS are helpful, that's the only time I ever take them, or plain aspirin if it doesn't interfere with your other meds. And heat, as mentioned. AS just keeps surprising us, huh

Cheryl

Dogs believe in long term relationships

Hi Jeanna,
Yes it sounds right like TMJ and is terribly annoying like you say. Especially when you're under a longer attack and there are problems with talking and sound. Geez, this can make you another person if you don't watch out.
Luckily I'm just out of my jaw pains right now, it lasted about 4 weeks. I really don't know if I did anything benificial or that it was coincidental. Anyway the things I did were: taking nose spray for breathing through the nose at night (this was cause it was especially bad in the morning and I pictured myself snoring at night with my jaw in an awkward position) exercises for the neck and kyphosis of the upper spine cause I believe neck an jaw are very related. Going on with my diet (luckily the other AS symptoms were doing well so I had enough spirit to go on. And of course I went on using my NSAID (butazolidine).
Anyway I believe the spray was benificial to me and if I remember correctly a visit to the saune gave also some relief.
Hope you get over it soon,
Gerard


" Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have."
-Stephen Wright-

That sounds very similar to what I have....I have been having terrible TMJ pain lately, my ears feel like they're stuffed with cotton. And yes I have trouble swallowing at times, but I thought I was going nuts and imagining it !!. I do have the same problems opening my mouth, yawning (in fact I try to yawn with my mouth almost closed in the morning...it's possible when you HAVE to do it! )

I went to one dentist about it, and he said if it's BOTH sides to an equal degree, it's most likely mechanical. If it's a head/earache, it's most likely teeth clenching at night. If it's the actual JOINT, it's probably an arthritic process. He suggested a moldable football mouthguard and I find that very helpful in keeping the headaches down, but I still have a lot of pain in the actual jaw joint, so I think there's more going on than just teeth clenching. (besides the football mouthguard is a LOT cheaper than a mouth guard from the dentist!!!)

I do have my top wisdom teeth in (my bottom ones never came out) and granted, my mouth is pretty crowded, but I don't see how this could affect the jaw joint....I would think it would be more face-like pain. My teeth shift alignment a lot and they don't quite meet well anymore since the jaw pain started.

I find that after sleeping on a regular pillow I wake up with a lot more neck and jaw pain. But if I sleep on a relatively flat, firm pillow (I have u-shaped foam cervical pillows that I actually sleep on) I'm just as stiff but not in as much pain.

Rox
http://www.geocities.com/artisan1998.geo/index.html

Jeanna,

If you still have your wisdom teeth it is possible they are the cause of your pain especially if this pain came on sort of out of the blue. My sister had the same problem when she was about your age. She couldn't open here mouth. It was her wisdom teeth. You should see an oral surgeon and get a panoramic xray to make sure they aren't impacted etc.

That being said, if it is AS related, like a few other posters it is usually associated with ear pain or a fullness sensation in your ears. Do your jaw muscles, temples, muscles behind your ears to neck hurt? Do your eyes hurt? Do your sinus' hurt? Were you recently eating anything hard, crunchy or really chewy? Have you been stressed lately? If yes it is probably TMJ/AS related. Welcome to my world.

Try heat compress on your jaw. Try cold. See if either works better. Get one of those microwave rice socks to wrap around your neck to relax your shoulders and neck muscles. Try muscle relaxants. Get someone to massage your neck and shoulders and jaw muscles and your temples. Don't tax your jaw with eating for the next few days. Try soups etc. if it eases up from not eating or chewing its probably TMJ pain. I would see an oral surgeon just the same. Make sure he knows you have AS.

Kerry

I've been very worried about my recent softball injury leading to TMJ problems. I know that most doctors believe that AS is not induced by trauma, but in my case, at least, it seems that trauma has a way of initiating symptoms. Anyway, I have had various times where my TMJs would audibly "pop," and since the injury they seem very stiff. But so far there is no pain, and I hope this will at least continue. I also hope you are able to get a handle on your recent TMJ symptoms.

Johnny