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From: bill@sigma.UUCP (William Swan)
Newsgroups: sci.med
Subject: Re: TMJ- temporo-mandibular-joint syndrome
Message-ID: <912@sigma.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-Oct-86 10:47:14 EST
Article-I.D.: sigma.912
Posted: Wed Oct 29 10:47:14 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 30-Oct-86 23:22:21 EST
References: <119@helm.UUCP> <9800028@uiucdcsb> <1638@ncoast.UUCP>
Reply-To: bill@sigma.UUCP (William Swan)
Lines: 29

In article <1638@ncoast.UUCP> btb@ncoast.UUCP (Brad Banko) writes:
>Has anybody else had any experience with TMJ pain... aka temporo mandibular
>joint syndrome... [...] I have had this type of pain, and
>it can be very annoying, if not scary... [...]

I have (suffered from) TMJ also.

I had orthodontic work done 14 years ago, apparently a mis-alignment of the
teeth was causing some jaw "dislocation".. this might have been the onset
but the orthodontist didn't mention it.

I went to a TMJ specialist about two years ago. I'd suffered occasional pains
for several years, most often a severe cramp in the jaw most times I yawned.
I really don't remember much of what he said then, but he has become my
"regular" dentist and thereby is keeping an eye. I seem to recall that
surgery could become required if measures aren't taken soon enough.

What I had to do was to learn to not keep my teeth clenched shut all the
time, to modify the relaxed posture to one with the jaw (not necessarily
the mouth) slightly open. Not an easy change..especially when you're under
stress. It's amazing how much difference that makes.. I've experienced the
jaw cramp perhaps twice in the past six months, as opposed to almost daily
before.

The specialist noted that I had had orthodontic work done, but made nothing
of it beyond that. 

I will be seeing him again in a couple weeks. If there are any questions you
want answered, let me know.