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susan828
USA
291 Posts |
 Posted - 07/18/2011 : 13:42:55
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I have had chronic on and off pains in my jaw and teeth for about 15 years. Last week I had pain in my temples radiating to my teeth and saw an endodontist twice for different areas. This cost me over $200 and he found nothing, told me to see a facial pain expert.
I have an appointment with a prominent dentist who specializes in facial pain and TMJ. I already had 2 mris of my head and they found nothing. They did find some sinus abnormality but almost everyone has this I was told. I know with this last episode I had a lot of stress before the pain started. I am not new to this, have Sarno's and Schubiner's books.
Maybe I need a night guard to sleep with for my teeth. Here is my dilemma: the consultation is $360 and not covered by insurance. I can charge it but I am not a wealthy person, have trouble just making ends meet. I have no idea why different teeth hurt, some are crowned so maybe there are things brewing underneath. The dentists are not about to remove every crown when nothing shows up on x-ray. I never have a toothache per so where I can pinpoint the pain, rather, it's the temple pain that radiates to the teeth, or could be muscular. Some of you are probably familiar with the diagrams in fibromyalgia books that show referred pain. I have had toothaches in the past that led to root canals and extractions and this pain isn't quite the same. Trigeminal neuralgia has been ruled out...they just call it atypical facial pain or atypical odontalgia (tooth pain).
I could get a night guard from a dentist but maybe I should spring for it and just see someone who will take time to figure this all out. But if it is TMS and I can get a grip on it, I'd rather have the money in my pocket. What would you do? Any advice would really be appreciated as I have to cancel my appointment as soon as possible if it isn't worth it.
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2011 : 14:58:30
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Hi Susan,
I'd cancel. For one thing, even if it's not TMS, it's mostly likely gong to be difficult to both find and correct the cause. And there's always a decent chance your body on its own will do what it does best: heal.
Meanwhile, I'd give TMS self-treatment a chance to work. If you can stop worrying about and it goes away, or even substantially improves, then you've saved yourself time and money.
To sum up, you've got intermittent, impossible to precisely locate pain of uncertain origin. Sure fits the TMS profile, wouldn't you say?
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
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susan828
USA
291 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2011 : 15:58:06
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I would think so. Art. But moments come like now, where I have a piercing pain in my front tooth or the one next to it. I have had this before over the years. I check with 2 mirrors to look at the roof of my mouth, to see if something is irritated. I worry about the lateral incisor which is root canaled and crowned, thinking something is infected. The worst thing I do is look at a dental board where the woman who apparently runs it is an anti-root canal fanatic and because she is a dental assistant to an oral surgeon, she gives advice and tells everyone that root canaled teeth are permanently infected and to have them extracted. Even though I have had one root canal since I am 16 and no problems with it, this woman scares me when I'm vulnerable and I picture all kinds of nightmares going on under my crowns.
Last week, the pain I had in my temples and lower jaw was the worst I had ever had. I took 3 advils, 2 tylenols, used moist heat as advised by endodontist and it still hurt. It did go away but came back a few days later but not as badly. He told me yes, TMJ can hurt "that badly". The teeth checked out fine.
I hear what you're saying and was hoping you would reply. I just don't know how to deal with this pain right now, feels like someone is jabbing me with a pin in the roof of my mouth or front tooth. I know that many of these specialists prescribe Neurontin and other anti-convulsive medicines as well as low doses of anti-depressants for chronic pain. I was given Elavil 15 years ago for this, my back teeth hurt at the time. I don't want to take these drugs. I will admit that I got lazy and stopped Schubiner's workbook. Stopped after week 2 because it was hard to write the letters to the people who have hurt me (nobody sees them, just me). He believes that if you get it all out, you get better.
The last thing you said is that the body can heal but I want to know why these pains keep coming in my teeth. Maybe you're right, maybe there are no answers. I'm at a loss. I need to think harder about this. I so much appreciate your answering and sorry for the long post but I wanted to get this off my chest and maybe it helps people get a fuller picture.
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2011 : 18:39:49
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When in doubt, look to your thought processes. You've been already told if I'm understanding you right, that during past episodes of this kind of thing, they couldn't find anything wrong..And yet given that, and given your understanding of psychosomatic pain, you're still playing around with mirrors in an attempt to find what the professionals couldn't.
Realize that this is about fear and worry, that's the illness. Your mouth pain is merely a symptom. If there were something wrong, why would the pain have gone away for 2 years? Why were they unable to find anything then? Be objective. What would you be telling someone else with this same history?
Be objective. Embrace the obvious. Lose the fear. It's the only way out... |
Edited by - art on 07/18/2011 18:40:18 |
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susan828
USA
291 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2011 : 21:35:59
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Thanks, Tom. I have seen those before but it helps to reread them. Thanks, Art. I wish I knew how to lose the fear. It's very scary when your jaw hurts and you predict more extractions, bridges (all of which were not TMS but badly infected teeth that had to be pulled)...I just can't afford this stuff and the hassle and the pain. So every time I get jaw pain, I think it's yet another tooth. After reassurance, I still worry that they're missing something because the tooth is crowned and x-rays can't see what's doing underneath (although they can see abscess formation).
I cancelled the appointment in any case. The fees would be prohibitive as far as what comes after the consultation. I need to do some work on my head...just really stressed out. Back to Schubiner's program, I was a dummy to give it up. Thanks much. I am still here, viewing the posts and trying. |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2011 : 05:52:59
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Susan,
It feels impossible at times, but it's not. I suffer from the same insanity as you do, and I promise I've made progress. It doesn't mean that every day isn't a battle, but it's easier now than it was a year ago, and easier still than the year before that.
You say, "I just worry that..." There are always things to worry about. But you can make a decision. DO you want to live in fear, or do you want to live in peace? You cannot feel fear if you don't allow your body to cooperate. Emotions don't exist in some kind of cognitive vacuum. They're visceral, that is of the body. Take deep breaths, relax your muscles, exercise. Meanwhile, distract yourself until you find yourself thinking of something else. Focusing on the breath is an excellent way to do that.
I recommend some spiritual work. That's where all this leads to anyway. Accept that in the long run we're all dead. Accept that we all live with a sword over our heads. Find some meaning. Live your life. |
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susan828
USA
291 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2011 : 07:09:41
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| Art, I love your words, succinctly stated and so true. I will try to live by this because I am tired of living a half life. |
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Should I see TMJ Dentist?
