[watsonsh]

Bryanna,

My ENT and dentist have both said that I have TMJ. Lately I have been having a lot of ear pain and even equilibrium problems. Sometimes in the middle of the night I will wake up and my right ear feels like it has an ice pick in it. I am a side sleeper and think that the way I am sleeping is contributing to this.

Any suggestions on how to lessen TMJ or improve?

P.S. thanks for the info on the reroot canal. I am doing more investigating before I do anything else.

[Bryanna]

Hi Shelley,

Sorry for the delay in replying...... lots going on!

TMJ problems can be very complex. It is important to determine what the initial culprit is and then through a process of elimination, treat or remedy each of the issues that have been affected by the dysfunctioning jaw joint.

Sometimes, once the bite is properly occluded, the stress is removed from the joint and the pain in that area subsides. However, if a TMJ problem is long standing ..... and many of them are...... other areas of the body may have been affected as well. So it is important to be aware of other imbalances in the body and try to improve those as well.

Have you done a search on TMJ? It is amazing at how much of the body can become affected by a poorly occluded TMJ!!

My suggestion with your discomfort while sleeping is to consider changing your pillow to accomodate your neck better. There are various forms of pillows that are meant to provide more support in certain areas of the head, neck and shoulders. A different pillow will not cure your TMJ, but it may help you sleep more comfortably.

Keep us posted on your search about the root canal stuff!

Bryanna



[/I]

Originally Posted by shelley

Bryanna,

My ENT and dentist have both said that I have TMJ. Lately I have been having a lot of ear pain and even equilibrium problems. Sometimes in the middle of the night I will wake up and my right ear feels like it has an ice pick in it. I am a side sleeper and think that the way I am sleeping is contributing to this.

Any suggestions on how to lessen TMJ or improve?

P.S. thanks for the info on the reroot canal. I am doing more investigating before I do anything else.