 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Anne-Marie
Date: 2001-05-22 15:33
Hello!
I have just read the postings on the clicking jaw. I was diagnosed with TMJ disorder 2 years ago : I did not know what was wrong when it started so I went to a medical clinic : the doctor sais to me : "You have TMJ disorder, and can not do anything for you : the only recommendation I have is stop chewing gum" and he gave me the name of a specialist!
I thought he was sending me to a doctor and to my surprise, it was a dentist office : it was going to be very expensive and it was not clear if my insurance would cover so I decided to see to my own dentist first. He gave me this big "speach" about how my life is stressful (single mom with 2 kids and 2 jobs!) and that if I do not start with addressing the stress issue, I will spend my life treating this TMJ thing. So, I quit my second job, went on a soft diet for a few weeks and started wearing every night a "mouthpiece" made out of a mould my dentist made of my teeth. Most of the pain and discumfort disappeared within 2 to 3 weeks.
I still have to be very careful : monitor my stress closely, try to eat less "hard" to chew food (nuts, not to fresh pita bread!, chewing gum etc.) and wear my "mouthpiece". When I do all that, I feel almost "normal".
My big piece of advice is : try to minimize stress! I now apply the following rule to help me put things in perspective and therefore, reduce stress and anxiety : in ten years from now, will I laugh about it or will it still bother me? If the answer is "I will laugh about it" then I stop worrying, if the answer is "It will still bother me" then I know I have to take the matter seriously and look into it with as less worry as possible. Positive thinking helps a lot : I know I can do it, I have been trhough worse, it could be worse, I still have what is most important (health, love, freedom. friends..).
Hope this will help some of you.....
Anne-Marie
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Author: jerry
Date: 2001-05-22 17:23
Anne,
I thought you were going to say that in order to reduce stress you stopped being a single mom. (never mind)
Stress can manifest itself in many ways and I have experienced a lot of it -- it is my nature to worry. However, this one is one I have not heard of.
My cardiologist said no hang gliding or sky diving and I told him not to worry, no plans for that anyway. He told me that he was serious, "...stay away from stress. Now I get stressed worrying if I am doing something to get stressed over -- what's a guy to do?
Good luck on eliminating stress, all.
~ jerry
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2001-05-23 01:54
Jerry,
Stress is a major component of TMD. The largest group with this problem is middle aged females. The earlier poster with possible TMD seemed to be a young male.... very unusual!
Often removing stress, chilling out, becoming a "B" type instead of "A" type (that is why I drive a 1927 Model T Ford everywhere) does the trick.
When I used to Hang Glide I foud it very relaxing. It is beautiful to look down 1,000 feet and see VW busses the size of ants, to smell the grass in a thermal, to soar with a Red Tail Hawk three feet off your wingtip. I never sky dived, but it must be rather relaxing also. Beautiful to float down after the canopy opens, and relaxing... if it doesn't open then, hey, TMD isn't a big concern to you!
Best thing would be to just get the clarinet out and enjoy some nice long chalameoux (sp?) passage and forget auditions and contests! Play for yourself and let the world take care of itself!
Terry
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Author: Dan Borlawsky
Date: 2001-05-23 15:18
I, too, have TMJ, and went through treatment by an oral surgeon: "night guard" every night, muscle relaxants, pain medications, even cortisone in the jaw joint. All helped some, but what helped the most was adjustments by a chiropractor! I think you have to find a good practitioner, one who has experience with the jaw, but mine is worth every cent I (and my insurance company!) pay him.
I still use the night guard every night, but rarely have pain, even after weekly 2-hour community band rehearsals or 3-hour gigs!
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Author: jr
Date: 2001-05-25 22:21
I had clicking jaw about 15 years ago, my Doc refered me to a TMJ specialist with the warning that Specialists see the world through their specialties. The TMJ Doc suggested a program of therapies, scheduled me back in in two weeks and told me to try to relax my jaw so the lower teeth weren't touching the upper. Within a week of doing this the problem went away and I cancelled my next appointment. When it recurs every couple years I remember to relax my jaw and it goes away in a day or so.
jr
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