I do the same thing and had to start seeing a TMJ/pain specialist and now have not just a specialized night time guard but a day time guard as well to help not only relax my jaw muscles but help reposition my jaw. Will also be doing trigger point injections. I highly recommend you go see a specialist - very very important. I have been grinding and clenching so hard that I was cracking fillings and crowns and also causing severe neck pain and muscle spasms. I have no doubt this has been contributing to the TN as well. Don't just settle for the wimpy night guard a dentist would give you either - unless they do something very specific for TMJ - it wouldn't be enough. For example, I flattened mine in less than two months.
The interesting thing is that I'm not really diagnosed with TMJ - more so just TMD. I do sometimes get a locked jaw and sometimes get the jaw popping thing and I do also have ringing in my ears. My CT scans do indicate extreme pressure on my jaw.
The crappy part for me - just the exam set off a flareup of TN 1 pain I'm sorry to say, but, it was good to be able to get the oral appliances I now have. At first they were really difficult to deal with -it's taken me about two weeks to be able to sleep with the night guard and not feel more tension in my jaw but the muscles are starting to relax some. I feel almost naked without one or the other (daytime or nighttime guard). The daytime guard goes on my lower teeth so I can talk with it - but it's challenging. I've also had problems with dry mouth so now trying a dry mouth rinse and spray to see if that helps.
I've seen some people say their grinding and clenching didn't start until they got TN. Honestly - I think I probably did before my TN but I think it probably got worse after. And the fact that I lost teeth on one side and can now only chew on one side has caused a lot of pressure and stress on the other side so yes - now it is worse.
Yes, yes... I was going to ask a similar question so I am very glad you asked yours. I have a mild type 1 and type 2 and yes, like Barb mc61 stated, I also feel my muscles in my face tighten, but I swear it is nothing I am doing, and then right after that the pain in my teeth and jaw and cheek starts...I read somewhere that if you are having tight face muscles that this is coming from a Motor nerve. Perhaps when the trigeminal nerve branch (in my case)is acting up , it also activates the motor nerves in the face...the jaw pain is a separate issue for me, I have lower jaw pain, sometimes on both sides... I am going to do some research on TN and motor nerves in the face, now that I know more folks are getting the same very uncomfortable feeling... It feels just like a muscle spasm you get in your back for instance, I try to relax my face muscles, but when it is happening, I cant, I have no control of it, they are so tight they stay that way, and when the teeth pains and jaw pains go away, the tight facial muscles goes away too....
I just weaned myself off amitrip, it was making me too tired, I got up to 100mg and still not doing much for the pain so I'll scratch that off my list of things to try unfortunately!
Rebecca Hampshire said:
You described me to a T! I have also broke several teeth doing so. It hurts very much clenching and I don't notice doing it at all. I think its a defensive mechanism. My Doctor put me on Elavil to relax my jaw while sleeping. I notice a big difference when I am off of it, you may wantg to try this if you haven't already.
I am pretty sure mine is the pain response too. I have already had one tooth totally break in half (there was an abscess according to the dentist) but I can't help think that the pain/clenching contributed to it as well. I'm currently waiting for even an initial appointment with a neurosurgeon ... my TN started March 2012 and 2 years later I've only ever seen a neurologist once and never a neurosurgeon :(
Lawrence Rae said:
Hi folks,
I recently (15 months ago) had my second operation for TN. It has been fully successful. I had suffered for a total of 21 years both with medication and after my first unsuccessful surgery. I thank God I am now pain free.
I want to suggest that the clenching, which I also suffered, was part of the pain response and left after my final surgery. But it is so damaging to our teeth and thus our facial nerves that it surely contributes to the ongoing torture of TN. I wonder if botox in the muscles of the jaw could lesson the tension or alleviate some of the reaction to the pain. Perhaps that, in league with the medicine, could reduce the number of spasms. The spasms and the pain seemed to set up their own rhythm for me.
Decompression was finally the solution for me. I would recommend it even if it is for a second attempt at success.
Throughout all my years of suffering, I would have never made it without the peace that prayer afforded me.
No chances of muscle relaxants here. The one neurologist I have seen basically said to me nobody in my country, not even a specialist, will prescribe one. Go figure. Here's hoping I get on the list for an MVD and they find something they can fix.
Oldriska said:
Hi,
One dentist explained to me that where there is pain anywhere in the body the muscles react to it by going into spasm. I didn't have TMJ disorder before ATN, my guess is I developed it from my muscles being constantly tense during daytime (I have daytime pain, at night I experience no pain and usually my TMJ feels sort of okay until about lunchtime from there on it just goes downhill and between 4 p.m. and bedtime I have the worst ATN and TMJ pain). Sometimes I catch myself subconsciously opening my mouth and thus relaxing facial muscles, I remember also higher doses of magnesium did me well in the past. On some days the only help is to take muscle relaxant but I try not to do it too frequently.
I have noticed this also. I bought an inexpensive mouthguard (like they use for sports) the kind you put in hot water then mold to the shape of your teeth. This seems to help a fair bit although it took a few nights to get used to having something in my mouth. I also noticed that sometimes when i have the pain, chewing on something flexible seems to massage it away a bit. I use a piece of leather from a belt i dont wear any more.
your jaw-clenching is sooooo familiar! For me it's definitely a reaction to extreme pain, and I've found a couple of things that help. Mindfulness techniques, which involves reaching out to the pain with your mind and examining it from all angles, are useful. Because when you do this, you find yourself listening to your body and what it is doing. Once you become conscious that you are clenching your jaw, you deliberately relax it.
Another thing that helps me is a mindfulness exercise. Sit with your feet flat on the floor, facing forward. Pick a point at the periphery of your vision, both left and right. Gently look from the middle to the and back to the middle, then to the right point and back to the middle. Repeat until you feel yourself relaxing and the pain easing.
Another thing I find useful with unclenching the jaw is drinking a glass of water!
I struggle with this everyday and have for over two years now. Whatever you do, DONT let someone inject steroids into your jaw muscle. Someone thought that would solve my jaw problems and it just made them incredibly worse. But I’ve had a mouth guard made that I wear every night. (Just a soft plastic.)
I also use essential oils on the inside and outside of my jaw. It’s not tasty, but past tense and deep blue both work for me.
And like others suggested, I’m on a low dose of a muscle relaxer too. It took some convincing to get someone to prescribe me one, but it’s helped significantly.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
Hmmm the Mindfulness seems interesting ... the RAIN acronym could be useful. I do have a mouthguard that I bought for karate though when sore I can't use it as I have trigger points on my top gum though some oral lidocaine gel may help with that. I've done some courses in aromatherapy and have an extensive collection of oils so might give those a go too thanks :)
Same here, sometimes it is a subconscious action and instantly brings pain. I have to make a concerted effort to stop. If I tense up that will predicate this reaction. Breathing and being aware of the moment helps. I slip from time to time, and of course I get reminded that its a pain not to relax:)
I am trying new drug called Cesmet soon I hope it will help.
You described me to a T as well! TN2, TN1 & TMJ…my jaw was dislocated during surgery 6 years ago and it took the Doctors 45 minutes to get it back in place! I’ve had jaw problems ever since.
I agree clenching is in anticipation of the TN pain, I clench during the day and clench & grind @ night. I religiously wear a nightguard, it does take a week or two to get used too but it saves your teeth from damage. You want to get a good one, custom/lab made (from dentist) it also keeps your bite even/balanced when or if you clench/grind at night. Jaw exercises, massage, heat/ice help too. I take lorazepam & muscle relaxer right before bed. Hope this helps…Feel better! ~Erica
I have been clenching my teeth while sleeping for about a year now. It has actually changed my bite as the teeth on the left side of my face don't touch anymore. I've tried the mouth guards but they sometimes make it worse as they seem to shift my bite. Interestingly, around this time I also developed TN pain on the left side of my face (this is the side where my teeth don't touch). It's always been the right side alone. My neurologist thought it wasn't TN related so he sent me to an ear, nose throat guy who said I probably had TMJ. I'm pretty sure it's TN as the pain is not near my jaw joint but the bottom of my chin or the side of my nose or under my eye. I am currently going through some TN pain. I'm sure it's related to dental work I had last Wednesday that was crown prep ( a couple hours of holding my mouth open and grinding and drilling). This was also on the left side of my face and the pain started up a few days later. Pretty rough through the weekend. I don't dare chew food on the left side of my mouth or else it triggers a pretty painful episode.
I have exactly the same thing. I think this is a trigger for my TN attacks. I will be seeing a dentis at his pain center ..temporomandibular joint dysfunction/Craniofacial Pain next week.
Yes, I too have TN1 and TMJ. I realized it was the TMJ that was igniting my TN. I went to the neurologist, he knew it was TMJ related. My face was swollen. TN did not cause that. I also brought on an episode during the night I bit down hard woke up in severe pain. I tried everything too. My relief came after acupuncture. He treated me for the swelling and pain. I went three times a week. He also put me on herbal medicine. Something for stress, and something to help sleep easier. My last episode was 1 year ago. I started the Acupuncture in August after trying everything possible. It took him around a month to to eliminate all pain. I go once a month, and just take 1 100mg gabapentin a day. Stress caused my TMJ, which brought on my TN If you go for acupuncture, please make sure they are experienced with treating TMJ and TN. The needles should never be place anywhere near the places your are feeling pain.
Yes, try Acupuncture. He treated me for the pain and swelling. He placed me on herbal medicine for the stress and to help sleep better. It took him a month to relieve me of my pain. I now go once a month as maintenance. I only take 1 gabapentin 100mg in the morning along with my Chinese herbs. Acupuncture should never be done on the areas where you are feeling the pain. Make sure they have knowledge with TN and TMJ.
wow, that is the first time I have heard that acupuncture works!! that is good news! How do you know if they have enough knowledge in TN. I am scared that I may call them up and ask and some unethical acupuncturists might say they have experience in TN and really don't just to get you in the door and get into your pocket book.
I actually think that my jaw clenching contributed to my TN. I originally thought I had TMJ and have a phobia of the Ugly D (dentist) so I refused to go get my pain checked out. Eventually my friends kidnapped me and forced me to go. I learned that I don't have TMJ (I have had 3 separate consultations). However my pain is 90% related to movement in my jaw. Since most doctors cannot determine what is causing TN and just throw drugs at you, I opted to find different solutions. FYI I tried all the drugs - my pain level stayed the same but my quality of life diminish to the point of suicide because I just could not function. I have opted for no drugs. I finally found a Craniofacial. This is a doctor that doesn't perform any surgeries but deals with any pain in your head. So we have a lot of discussions and what we have settled on is that I wear a night mouth piece to keep from clenching my teeth - my daily headaches have almost completely gone away! AND I wear a splint daily to keep my back teeth from completely touching. I also put on a topical cream right at the base of my jaw joint. I am now 75 - 85% pain free most days. What pain I have, I endure and don't complain because my quality of life has increased 1000% from where I was 6 months ago.