REBECCA
I HAD TERRIBLE PAIN AT THE TEMPLES AND SIDE/SIDES OF MY HEAD ON AND OFF FOR YEARS. SOMETIMES A SEVERE EARACHE ACCOMPANIED IT. THE PAIN AT THE TEMPLE I WOULD DESCRIBE AS A TERRIBLE STABBING PAIN THAT LEFT WITH A KIND OF BURNING SENSATION. COULD ONLY LYE ON SOFA AND PUT PRESSURE AGAINST THE AREA HURTING. NO MEDS WORKED . ONE DOCTOR GAVE ME A STEROID SHOT(THOGUHT IT WAS SOME KIND OF A VIRAL THING) FOR INFLAMMTION AND SAID IT WOULD BE ALL BETTER BY THE TIME I GOT HOME. IT WASN'T. I SAW AN ENT BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HAD A SEVERE BLOCKED SINUS OR A SINUS INFECTION. THIS TERRIBLE PAIN WAS THE ONLY THING THAT COULD MAKE ME IMMOBILIZED AND KEEP ME HOME FROM WORK.AND WHEN IT QUIT I NEVER KNEW WHY OR WHEN TO EXPECT IT TO RETURN. STRANGE THING WAS I REALIZED WHAT IT WAS WHEN MY ADULT DAUGHTER WENT THROUGH IT. SHE WENT TO THE DENTIST WHO WANTED TO PUT BRACES ON HER TEETH. SHE SAW DOCTORS WHO FOUND NOTHING TO DIAGNOSE.SHE WAS GIVEN A GIZMO FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT. AND FINALLY STUMBLED ON A DENTIST WHO TOLD HER IT WAS TMJ BUT THAT HE DIDN'T FEEL QUALIFIED TO TREAT IT AS IT WAS A VERY SEVERE CASE(IN AND OUT OF EMERGENCY ROOMS A LOT). THERE IS A DOCTOR IN HOUSTON,TX WHO SPECIALIZES IN TMJ AND I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL HE DOES.IT IS A VERY MISSED DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AND THE PAIN CAN BE SO SEVERE IT IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE "SUISIDE PAIN" BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE CAN NOT GET A PROPER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT. I HAVE 10 CHILDREN AND NEARLY ALL MY KIDS HAVE TMJ PROBLEMS TO SOME DEGREE. I WOULD TRY TO GET A GOOD REFERREL TO A TMJ SPECIALIST(SURGERY SHOULD BE AVOIDED. I HEAR IT CAUSES MORE HARM THAN GOOD)GOOD LUCK TO YOU