Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group TMJ problems for the 1st time

Hi there Jeanna,
Oversensitive, grumpy, silly?? I'm glad communication is via screen . What I meant is when it lasts too long you might be pulling back from activities in which you have to talk much. Thankfully you are a very open person and from what I've read you know how to cope with that .
Gerard

" Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have."
-Stephen Wright-

Hey, Kristin:

The very rare case where TMJ problems are due to non-ReA (trauma, OA) might be better treated by corrective surgery because, in a non-ReA individual this further trauma might not induce more local inflammation; cutting anywhere into an AS subject has some rather unique risks.

For a young person with AS to have TMJ not associated with AS (which is not a disease but the result of KReA) would be beyond statistical reason--probably a sigma V event; the product of the probabilities. It is possible, albeit very improbable.

IT'S NATURE'S WAY: In my own cases of TMJ, my condition was instructing me to stop eating--the quickest and most effective way of getting out of flare, as I long before discovered. The adipose I have been cursed with all my life is actually a benefit (I am an energy hoarder, I guess); for every excess pound, I can enjoy two days of being AS-less. The TMJ episodes were almost exactly commensurate with general AS activity.

Be Well,
John

Hi Jeanna,
I can't really add much more to what's already been said! Just wanted to send good thoughts your way. Hope you find something that helps soon.
Take care,
Megan

I wear a night guard that my dentist made. It is awesome.
My jaws make a lot of popping......but there is no pain. Without the nightguard, I would wake up in the AM with a sore jaw. Night guards are expensive, but worth it. BTW - when my first night guard broke after 6 years of use, I decided to try the football guard to save money. It worked ok, but I finally broke down and invested the money on a "real guard". They are really much better.

Betty (The Energizer Bunny)

Jeanna

I posted on here once re: the same problem. It was very painful. The worst thing was trying to sleep - laying on stomach or side was out of the question. Eating was also very painful ( although I managed it anyway !!! ) It lasted a long time - maybe 3 months and then gradually faded away. So far it has never returned. I didn't seek medical help - too scared they'd pull my teeth out and then find out that wasn't the problem after all.
I hope you get over it soon - very painful I know.

Take Care

Maggie