Quote:
Originally Posted by Mslday
Hi Mom, hi Carrie,
Mom, I think it is quite interesting that you have the TMJ on the same side as your RSD because I do too. My rsd is in my left foot. I've never had the TMJ quite as bad as you have described it but I was told that I have arthritis in the jaw after my tomogram. I have lots of crepitus noise and it is hard for me to hear people talking at the dinner table when I'm chewing. I have trouble opening my jaw wide, I have to cut my food into small pieces and avoid anything too chewy. I was told long ago that surgery would never be an option so I've just lived with it as best as I can. I where the custom mouth guard and find that warm moist heat works best to relieve the pain when it gets severe. Carrie, what side of your body is your RSD and TMJ on? I never thought about having steroid injections for TMJ, I think I'll try to get one if my TMJ flares up badly.
Right after I had the surgery (bunion) on my left foot I developed rsd. My foot went ice cold, burning cold and the pain was relentless, a big purple shinny burning foot. Also at the same time I developed a large boil type cyst on my face right where my ear and jaw are located, at the base of the earlobe. At the time I was quite disturbed by it as it really hurt and ultimately needed to be drained. Thinking back on it now perhaps my body was fighting an infection following the surgery? Because my TMJ was pre-existing to the RSD no doctors seem to pay it much attention either.
My physio therapist will often work on my neck and shoulders for me which is a big help. She taught me to keep my tongue on the roof of my mouth, just behind my teeth, this seems to keep my jaw in a relaxed unclenched position. It does help.
Some days I feel like my whole left side of my body is flared with RSD as the pain ping pongs from joint to joint including my jaw up and down my body. I do not have any of this on my right side. My doctor doesn't say much about this other than I should keep warm and keep moving. It's frustrating isn't it?
Wishing you all much peace and joy today.
MsL
|
Hi MsL,
Wow.....that is TOO ironic about your RSD/TMJD on the same side. Even after MY ankle surgery (when I had RSD but the docs hadn't diagnosed me) I was in SO much burning pain in my ankle I was on 2 Vicodin every 4 hours (on the dot.....I would sit and cry until I could take my next dose), I STILL had to take Advil in addition to the Vicodin for the TMJD pain. It is constant and more intense than my RSD pain most of the time. It comes on in a matter of minutes (like 2-3) and I race to take 3 Advil and sometimes just sit and drool into a tissue (sorry, I know that's gross) because it hurts too badly to even move my mouth to swallow. I get awful muscle spasms in my neck, too......sometimes for days on end and can hardly hold my head upright to walk.
I take a muscle relaxant at night to keep me from tooth grinding, Klonopin to relax me, an antidepressant, and a strong sleep aid. I just went back on the Lyrica last night because my foot/ankle/leg have started hurting SO badly. Yes.....it seems to move right up the left side of my body but not in my arms or midsection. My RSD has already spread to my other foot, so my right leg aches and hurts too.
Talk to me before you break down and have the injection. It is FAR more serious a procedure than I expected. They didn't tell me until afterwards that I had to be on a strict liquid diet for a month. I didn't eat anything harder than soft cheese for many months. It might break up adhesions in there if you have any......but I would be REALLY, REALLY careful before having the injection with RSD during a flair or while you're having symptoms. Also, it didn't help me at all. Not at all. I had mine a year ago in January.
Thank you SO much for sharing your similarity with me!! Yes, warmth does seem to soothe a bit. I put my cup of coffee against my ear sometimes!!! Massage has proven helpful (and relaxing!!) as has accupuncture and chiropractics. I cannot afford any of the above treatments at the time, but hope to get further treatment ASAP!! And yes, I've heard the same thing about keeping the tongue on the roof of the mouth. I don't tend to clench (during the day) so it's a pain to remember to do it. I'll try to make it more of a habit and see if it won't help. I am desperate!!!
Do you think it could have been an RSD lesion on your face after your bunion surgery??? I know that typically doesn't happen until later "stages" but NOTHING about RSD surprises me. I STILL think there is a connection between the two conditions......even more so now.
Best wishes to you that you get BOTH conditions under control!!! Talk to you later!!! Keep in touch!!!