Question:
Went to a chiropractor today who was recommended as having some efficacy at
treating TMJ. Liked him fine, but he doesn't accept health plans, and even
though he is very sympathetic to T. sufferers, he didn't make any promises.
I also have the name of a TMJ specialist who is a dentist. Not sure which
way to jump. Assuming my t. really is caused by TMJ. Realize there's no easy
reply--just need to vent. Will probably go to see him too and then decide.
This is so much work!! By the way, has anyone read "The TMJ Handbook" by
Bill Habets? I noticed it on amazon.com while looking for Kevin Hogan's
"Tinnitus, Turning the Volume Down."
Answer:
You might want to try the TMJ exercises at www.ent-consult.com
Most persons, when they get the muscles balanced are relieved of TMJ symptoms.
ETO doesn't cause dizzyness.
TMJ may be associated with Tinnitus but if it occurs as a causal factor, it
must be quite rare since I haven't seen it. Many of the studies haven't
measured the tinnitus. or even done a hearing test that associate TMJ with T.
You can have both at the same time, just as you can have hypertension or
diabetes and TMJ
You can have crepitation of the jaw - that isn't the same thing.
we clear tmj all the time and the patient feels better. Doesn't mean the T is
cured or caused by the TMJ
I have tinnitus caused by "TMJ". All other causes including ANY
hearing loss were medically ruled out. My tinntus level is directly
related to what level of myofascial
dysfunction I am having at any given time. Note that I actually class
myself as having dysfunction of the muscles of mastication as opposed
to "TMJ". All jaw crepitus, locking episodes and tracking off to one
side when eating went away with use of an NTI, eating soft and small
food,and jaw exercises like what you have on your website. Use of an NTI
splint (I think you know bout this if not check out www.drjimboyd.com)
has almost compleletly eliminated my T after 3 years of suffering. I
ONLY have T now if I eat something hard or big(like a hamburger) and
first thing in the AM when I wake as I am a serious bruxer/clencher in
my sleep and the NTI can only reduce the clenching force by 70% I'm
told. But that is enough to have reduced my t volume from a 7 to a 1 or
2 on a scale of 1-10. I have done all the controls--if I happen to
forget to use my NTI the volume is up again. If I stay up all night I
have no T as I haven't been clenching while asleep. If I eat something
hard it starts up about 15 minutes later. Maybe I am a rarity but Dr.
Boyd and Dr. Schames say that they see quite a number of Tinnitus/TMJ
patients. I am sure that the vast majority of T sufferers do not have
"TMJ" causing their T but we do exist.
I READ THE BOOK, and I'm making an appt with the TMJ specialist,
especially since I talked again this a.m. with the one sympathetic ENT I've
encountered, and even though he wouldn't volunteer the name of a TMJ
specialist (!!?), he'd heard of this one and urged me to go see him.
