I'm glad it isn't advanced at this point in your TMJ. Sounds like you are having aching joints in other bones too- I'm sorry.
Yes in the left joint mild. Being tested this week for osteo in the spine, shoulder and hip.
Sounds like you had arthrotomy (open joint) surgery to me.
Do you have osteoarthritis in your joints, and if so, to what degree?
They cut me open down my ear and along side my head. Shaved the joint and reconstructed the disc. It was painful beyond anything I have ever felt. not sure if that is what you mean by open arthrotomy.
I would like it fixed but they don't want to operate and I can understand that. I know it is only going to get worse and it hurts all the time pain scale is usually a steady 5 and will go up and down depending on the weather, sleep and food. I guess I could tolerate it a bit more rather than have the surgery and find out I had serious nerve damage. I already have way too many health issues to begin with so I would be afraid to do this again incase it makes it worse.
So did you have arthroscopy or an open joint arthrotomy procedure? My displaced without reduction disc is scrunched up anteriorly and evidently is not doing any good. Joint fluid has leaked out of that joint. The other side, where the disc perforation is suspected, the bone has advanced osteoarthritis.
It's disconcerting when I've had my own jaw go clunk when I turned my head in bed.
So, you are now considering surgery then? I've read that you want to limit, if at all possible, jaw joint surgery to three to minimize the risk of serious nerve damage complications. I've only had one arthrocentesis at this time, and you're right, the mouth guard can only do so much.
I had them both done when I was 17 Arthrocentesis first then the surgery. It was effective for a long time. However I know the joint is out of place and I now have osteo. The other disc is folded.
I have a really hard time sleeping even with the muscle relaxants because it is like my entire Jaw shifts to one side. My jaw is completely misaligned, how can you even fix that without surgery? The mouth guard can only do so much.
I am seeing my surgeon pretty soon to see what my options are I just dont want to do the nerve injections because I don't think they would work
You may be thinking of arthrocentesis? That is where they stick a needle in, flush the joint and inject steroids, etc.. Arthrotomy is open joint surgery- far more invasive. Arthroscopy is in between the two.
Is that where they inject fluid in the joints ?
Yes really bad with col weather
Did they do an arthrotomy? Does yours get worse with certain weather too?
I am the same.
I have reduction on one side and not the other and the other disc is folded.
I take a muscle relaxant before I go to bed but I still am in pain.
Mine didn't want to to talk surgery either and trust me I would never want that surgery again it was worse than child birth!!!!! I have had 4 surgeries in my life and that one tops it all. The recovery took a while and the pain meds did not help one iota.
My posture ***** as well
I can empathize to a degree- on how my discs are. I have a displaced disc without reduction on one side and a displaced disc with reduction that I was told may be perforated on the other side.
Let me know what your pain clinic has to say? Of course, they likely will not be talking surgery, as that is not their thing. Posture is supposed to be very important for those of us with TMJ dysfunction and I know mine is usually rotten. :0(
Thanks for responding.
DDD is Degenerative Disc Disease.
My recovery was amazing up until the last 3 yrs so I really can't complain.
I am just not sure what to do next. I visit the pain clinic soon so I will find out what they think is the best thing to do