Does anyone think teeth clenching can cause such aevere jaw tightness / neck tightness similar to a Lyme tight neck?
I am trying to decide if TMJ treatment may be worthwhile. My facial muscles are unbearably tight most days. Ibuprofen helps a bit, but not a long-term fix.
I am unable to even flex the sternocleidomastoid muscle on the right side of my neck.
It's like the muscles are all locked up. I know I grind my teeth at night. I also wonder if there is an anxiety component to it.
This TBI stuff is so complicated. You don't want to blame EVERYTHING on Lyme / co-infections if something else may be a cause. That's not smart either.
Time is ticking and I need to do reasonable efforts to figure out what is causing the issues and treat accordingly. I've learned my problems will not go away on their own.
Maybe it's time to pop a Xanax. I never have tried anti-anxiety medications. I'm getting concerned because it's either get better soon or not have a job. That's a TOUGH choice.
Posted by hcconn22 (Member # 5263) on :
Lyme can cause TMJ and or can damage your TMJ.
A mouthguard can help with the night grinding. Your dentist can help with this, and I think there are some cheap online units.
Also Eeg Neurofeedback has been effective for many with TMJ. Look for a certified Qeeg provider.
My wife ended up having surgery her's was so bad.
Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
I know what you mean.
I also have TMJ, but am pretty sure it is caused by lyme, though I am pretty sure I clench my teeth some nights -- because I'll dream about it and it'll be so very real, like I'm really doing it and it's not just a dream. I also have dreams that my teeth are falling out and I've heard dreaming of that is most likely teeth/jaw clenching.
But I've come to the conclusion that lyme is aggrivating the TMJ more because the two months while I was taking an abx break my jaw pain got so bad... I couldn't even chew without much pain. Then I find new LLMD, get back on abx, and the pain is now gone. I still have some popping and jaw stiffness (which I just hate the stiffness), but the pain is gone, which is nice!
Posted by Alv (Member # 15192) on :
I am afraid that is LYME /BART involved in there.
BART love the teeths, sensitivity comes from it.
My lyme symtoms started with neck and TMJ -rot canals.
If you have done tons of works and have metals for years in your mouth that is where the BUGS are besides the brain neck.
The people that have less problems with metals and have not done much of work over the years ...have less problmes with the jaw.
I am the one that lost 12 mollars root canals , thanks to LYME AND BART!
YEs when lyme became active abd bart also ...than you are in trouble as I am.My lyme became active while had accupated my jaw many years ago.So it had ruined my jaw and my teeths were having root canals done one after an others.
So by the time I had lyme active bart was in FOR GOOD.
My jaw hurted like hell.Saw many specialits and I was hurting like hell.Changed many many nightgards$$.They gave up.
One more than the other was not finding that neck and jaw was the same problem.They were blaming the infections of the root canlas efected the TMJ and neck pain and chest pain.
IT was the vise versa.You need to fihgt bart and lyme in your bones.Clean the vcavitations , clean and get rid of root canals that are the cage of bugs.Detox..otherwise you will not heal.
By the way ..I was stil on antibiotics but in my case I swithced from levaquin to other combos and BART came out UGLY as lyme was in cyst for good as I was using MINO so it was not LYME ...that swolled my ears both sides, increased my ringing and my jaw inside was tight like could not breath .
It was swolloed inside where the ear canals were and my thorught was hurting like hell and I was suffering like hell.
AGAIN it was not lyme but was BART as they became resistant to rifampin and once I stoped levaquin and switched to rifampin and azithr in a year did not work anymore.
Started LEVAQUIN and STOPED IMIDIATLY!
To much of coincidence.I stoped even MINO.So just levaquin and flagyl and eveyrthin g IS SO MUCH BETTER!!
WAS out visiting friends for 2 days in a row.It has been 4 years that have not done that!
TREAT BART AGREASSIVELY and stick with thit.It is worthit!!!
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
Thanks for the insight. I really hope Bart is not part of it too.
I have had dental work over the years. I believe I have two amalgams left and the other fillings are composite.
I have had two root canals over the last ten years. These are my only ones.
I have no physical shooting pains in my teeth or jaw. It's strictly intense pressure in the TMJ joint and pressure many times right underneath the ears (plugged up feeling).
It coincides with the extremely tight neck. Even wearing a t-shirt that touches my neck drives me insame over the last ten months. This was never an issue before. It brings about anxiety very quickly and a creepy crawly feeling.
Strange, huh? I've felt pretty good the last few days except for this tightness. It's unbearable though and ruins normal life.
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
My brother has TMJ, and was recently prescribed one of those older, tricyclic antidepressants (such as Elavil) for it, but I can't remember which one.
It may be a better option for you than something like Xanax.
I think the logic was that those old antidepressants work against pain as well, so the doctor was probably thinking it would not only reduce his stress level, but also help with the pain he feels when he is awake.
Of course a mouthguard is an obvious choice too. My brother uses both.
But I thought that antidepressant was a great idea because it kills two birds with one stone, a possible cause (stress) and an effect (pain).
I think he is doing better. He was having severe jaw, head, and neck pain.
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
Does everyone feel pain is defined as tightness / pressure in an area as opposed to jolting sharp pains? Maybe I describe pain incorrectly to doctors.
I always think of pain as broken leg, sprained ankle, etc. I guess everyone thinks of it differently. I want to be able to describe things accurately to physicians.
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Sometimes I will describe pressure as "dull pain." Another good word is myalgia, which I believe is a sort of duller pain.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
my severe tmj pain went away on its own after several miserable years.
i grind my teeth; never had mouth guard, etc. rarely does it hurt.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)