tmj disorder following head trauma
 

Hello,
6 months ago I was hit in the temporal zone in front of my ear with a sharp object, I didn't lose consciousness nor did I feel any symptoms or any sign of concussion.
After around 5 days, I felt a pressure in my eye and inside my ear, stiffness arising from the hit zone to the tempo-mandibular joint, pain in my jaw, and pain in the forehead, all on the side where I was hit. Sometimes I clench my teeth too.
The pain doesn't away at all, pressure is always present with all the pain described above.

I have been to 6 doctors, neurologist and ENT.

The neurologist doctor told me it might be neuralgia, and prescribed me gabapentin, it did nothing to my pain.
The ENT doctor told me its muscle spasm causing tmj disorder, so he prescribed a muscle relaxant (Orphenadrine citrate) along with an anti-inflammation drug (arcoxia). It also did nothing to my pain and pressure.

I have tried all medication possible, paracetamol, anti-inflammation medication, anti-convulant, muscle relaxant, even tried opiate which didn't help too. Nothing seems to easy my pain.

I am starting to get really depressed because of my pain, plus it is limiting my cognitive ability, inability to concentrate, inability to think clearly.
I even think I might have a had a serious brain injury to get all this cognitive impairment :S .

Now I am taking zoloft to get ride of my depression. But it seems like the side effect are hitting me hard, my concentration and thinking ability decreased more then before.

I was looking into trying some botox injection, or have some surgery of some kind.

Did anyone go Through the pain I am having, what did you do to get ride of it ?
Is there any relation between facial pain and concussion?
Could it be that I had a facial trauma without having a concussion ?

Welcome ronkfy,
I want to be very careful and not try to diagnose anything for you. I will only tell you what worked for my daughter.

Concussion: 5/11…PCS thereafter with 2 setbacks after being okayed by doctor to return to school. 2nd setback was major.

Her area of injury was the occipital region.

Among other symptoms, she developed TMJ to the point that she could only eat soft food and had similar symptoms that you are writing about. I don't remember how long this lasted, but I know that one of the reasons she had TMJ was because she was grinding her teeth while she slept. We went through a few different type of retainers.

What did help her was seeing an osteopath and an acupuncturist. I don't know what eventually stopped the TMJ, but it was probably a combination of new retainers and the doctors mentioned above. This was not an overnight cure. Her TMJ dissipated over a period of months.

She did however have almost immediate reduction of her headache and pain after seeing the acupuncturist. This reduction of pain would last a few days, but has gotten much better and lasted longer over a period of months.

You might also wanted to read the stickies for newcomers regarding vitamins…etc.

Best to you,

thanks for the reply hopefulmom.
I have just got an appointment with an acupuncturist, hopefully things will get better, i also got a nightguard.
just wondering did the pain disappear completely or is she still having pain from time to time ?

Yes, as suggested, you should try out a course of :

Acupuncture
Cranial osteopathy or craniosacral therapy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPB9LfYqFMc

Hi,
I also have tmj following a fall and my osteopath worked on it last week and it's feeling much better but she still has some work to do . . . it'll take some time . . .