Before I was dx'd for Lyme, I though TMJ / Jaw was the issue for my dizziness, ear fullness, and ear ringing. This is because a lot of my dizziness and ringing / fullness happened after a Chiropractor adjusted my jaw.
My jaw is feeling a bit better now, but still not like it was. My ears are still full and ring.
The problem is, I don't know if the ear symptoms are due to TMJ or Lyme as they are symptoms of both. Perhaps both. I know TMJ can be a lyme symptom as well. Luckily I don't clench. It was mainly trauma due to sports that caused my TMJ.
My current theory...the reason I went down hill after the Chiro visit was because the adjustment "squished" bacteria into my ears and released toxins in my body. I got labyrinthitis.
The reasons why my jaw is taking so long to heal is due to Lyme, just as I've read about people who have sprained a knee with Lyme and it hurts more for longer than ususal.
Does this sound plausible?
Posted by gatorade girl (Member # 24896) on :
Yrs. My doctor always told me Lyme likes to attack areas of your body that are already down.
Posted by kylasrain (Member # 12031) on :
I have TMJ pretty bad. The only thing that seems to help is minimizing caffeine. But sometimes caffeine is worth the TMJ <wink>.
K
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I did. My TMJ problems were structural, so I saw a TMJ specialist (orthodontist) who fixed it. I think Lyme took advantage of the problem and hid out in my jaw, but ultimately, the problem was structural.
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
Six...what were your symptoms. Pain, or other? My pain is almost nil and usually is. I just get confused as to whether my ear symptoms are Lyme or TMJ. I think Lyme but TMJ aggrivated it.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Pain, clicking, and it would get stuck open. This had been happening for years, but the dentists when I was younger didn't have the solutions they have today so I opted out.
Finally, it was cracking literally every time it moved. I do have permanent bone damage in my jaw, but it's placed well so doesn't bother me anymore.
I wore a splint 24/7 to move my jaw. This was removable, but only to brush. I ate with it on, and it was on all the time except brushing.
Then I wore braces to reshape my jaw (they had a bar across the roof of my mouth and under the tongue to widen the jaw, plus I had another appliance to widen the jaw). The braces also moved my teeth so they would hold my jaw in its new place.
It took about 3 years, but it was worth it. I was in constant, severe pain.
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
I have severe TMJ. It started when I was about 23, and is one of the many pieces of my medical history that points to my having been originally infected about age 18.
I had bilateral jaw surgery for it at a major Boston hospital about ten years ago. Prior to that I wore braces for three years. That was after years of treatment including splints, antinflammatories, shots into the back of my head, Botox shots right into the muscles in my face along my jaw line (OMG THE PAIN!!!)....
It's better since the surgery, but it took me a loooong time to recover. I was still undiagnosed then, now a lot of it makes sense. I wore implanted pain pumps that delivered Novacaine right into my jaw for about a month. I think it took a year for me to get over the daily fatigue, pain, and nausea from that surgery.
Now my jaw is better but I still grind and clench so badly my teeth are always chipping. I have a nightguard waiting for me at the dentist; but I need to get there and get it. Lately my jaw has been real bad again, hard to open my mouth. It never opens very wide, but it's been worse than it's been in years again lately.
Like Sixgoofy, I was in constant, severe pain for years and years before my surgery. I would come home from work every day and just be incapacitated with head and jaw pain. I lived on 800 mg of Motrin throughout the day for over 15 years.
My surgery (a five hour surgery) was brutal but worth it. It didn't totally fix the problem, but it helped a great deal.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
That type of surgery was the answer they had for me way back when, too.
I wear a night guard and LOVE it!! Mine is also designed to keep my jaw where it needs to be to not have the pain. It works. I've had some other dental work done lately (unrelated, one of my teeth shifted after the braces), and can't wear it. My jaw bothers me a little. I'm looking forward to wearing it again because it doesn't bother me at all when I can.
Posted by LymeGrl82 (Member # 25337) on :
I had TMJ years before I had lyme. I do notice however..when I started new stonger antibiotics that my tmj got really bad in the beginning. I asked my oral surgeon and he said it could be due to inflammation. Of course inflammation could come from the lyme die off..or maybe just a reaction to the antibiotic, which my body didnt like too much.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Quote: I treated all my cases of bruxism with magnesium with unfailing success.
Posted by hcconn22 (Member # 5263) on :
Tracy's Dr/ Surgeon told me after the operation that her jaw/hinge was basically deteriorated... wish we knew then as we could have got bone and tissue samples tested.
Posted by hadlyme (Member # 6364) on :
I have TMJ disorder also. I have lyme too...and I have worked in the dental industry for way too many years.
We have to remember, that when lyme effects our joints, that this joint can and will be affected also. I've had all the splints, redo of crowns (open my bite), you name it. TMJ WILL make you feel like you have ear infection. It will give you headaches and neck pain that goes down your neck to back.
Some things to do for it naturally is: Lay on your back when you sleep.. sleeping on your side only pushes the bones from one side to the other. Lips together, teeth apart is something to remember. It drops your jaw to a relaxing position. And never never chew sticky chewy things! Or tough steaks and bagels! Think of your jaw as sprained ankle. Don't use it on things that require a lot of chewing. Soft diets when it's hurting bad. Advil and ice if it's really bad.
When I get it... I figure I will have it for a week or two, and then the pain moves on to another area of my body. )
Posted by hadlyme (Member # 6364) on :
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
quote:Originally posted by hcconn22: Tracy's Dr/ Surgeon told me after the operation that her jaw/hinge was basically deteriorated... wish we knew then as we could have got bone and tissue samples tested.
The part of my joint that is supposed to be round is the shape of a half moon. I'm certain Lyme takes advantage of structural issues just as algae takes advantage of a stagnant pond.
Posted by burnsjw (Member # 11819) on :
I Had a large hole dev. in my jaw bone years ago under teeth that were good teeth. This happened while on antibiotics. The dentist could not believe it. There was nothing the matter with my teeth. The infection started in the jaw bone. It has taken years for it to fill in. It caused severe pain that shot up side of my head. I thought it was a new kind of migraine headache and packed head in ice. It came on sort of quick. The dentist said I came very close to having reconstructive jaw surgery. I still have a lot of pain off and on in my teeth/roots.
Posted by LightAtTheEnd (Member # 24065) on :
I don't have TMJ, but for a few weeks one side of my jaw hurt, clicked and popped.
Lyme generally affected the right side of my body, usually my neck and hip joint but often other muscles and joints all up and down that side or occasionally on the other side.
I put it down to a Lyme symptom. It's been gone for several months, since I've been on antibiotics.
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