Have been to the pain clinic...

...for my TMJ issues. It was as depressing as I expected. I can't tell you how rubbish it feels to be treated as a 'pain case' rather than to actually solve the problem (jaw joint).

I'll write more another time. I just wanted to let off a bit of steam for now.

Sorry to hear that it doesn't appear to have been a positive consultation for you but would be interested to hear how it went.

Michala
x

'Pain clinics' have no clue about jaw joint problems. In fact they tend to make problems worse. Bane of my life

Thanks Tee!

Let me state that I KNOW pain clinics have good intentions, but jaw joint problems are beyond their remit

Similarly, in 5 years of university we had 6 hours dedicated to jaw joint problems

There are other things which HAVE to take priority in teaching. It's also an area where there is no speciality, so the referral pathway is incredibly fudgy!!

Yes, I have to agree - they weren't very knowledgeable at all, and I really didn't want to go. But then, not a single person, dentist or doctor, has come up with anything beyond dental splints for me (and physiotherapy). My problem isn't clenching etc, it's the joint itself, I think.

The main cause of degradation is either trauma, clenching or chronic micro trauma such as gum chewing. Soft splints are the worst, most other splints are not much better

Treatment includes splints (the RIGHT kind depending in the problem) plus possible injection therapies to deal with the state of chronic inflammation in the joint

I have had... 4 different splints now. This has been going on for 3 years.

Sounds normal! Just lack of understanding of mechanics. Again not the surgeons problem, just poor, dogmatic teaching at university!

I've seen dentists too - it's not just doctors.

It's dentists I was refering to!

To be fair, it was just a few years ago I was the same

I've even seen patients with the right guard, adjusted incorrectly have limited results

This kind of therapy needs to be precise