tension headaches

I've had TMJ forever and have done so many treatments for it that have failed eventually (braces, appliances, etc) because I haven't treated the root issue: my stress and how my body handles it. So, I'm refusing to treat the "TMJ" because its just futile. I need to treat my stress.

Anybody know how to go about doing this with the medical(etc) system here? I used to be on muscle relaxers, etc. but don't know if that's a good option or if the NHS or perhaps my private medical insurance would cover massages or how to get that prescribed.

Anybody else in my particular situation or have any advice? I would probably have these same questions if I was in the states but here since I don't know the system very well I'm really starting from zero on the informational level.

Niku2 is our resident TMJ expert. You might want to PM her to see if she has any suggestions.

I'd be surprised if your private insurance covers massage, but it might cover accupuncture, physio, and chiropractic treatments. All of which may benefit you.

man, why can't i be famous as the broad who met bono several times instead of the broad whose jaws are falling off? 

yep, i'm an expert. been fighting a losing battle for the past 13 years. and i too have given up. after years of treatment & forking out so much money it makes me want to cry, i have decided to treat the symptoms & give up on ever finding any semblance of a cure. my joints won't stop moving, my bite won't stop changing, so i've decided it's futile to fight it.

i'm lucky--i've got a specialist here in the west midlands and one back in chicago. and they work together on my case, because i am a veritable freak of nature. my jaws are actively necrotising--the bones are actively dying in my skull. this means that, eventually (no one can predict when) i'm either going to lock shut or have a free-swinging mandible. it will change the shape of my face. i'm gonna be a fun case study some day. they can't stop it, they can't cure it, they can't even successfully treat it. i've been through splint after splint, total bite reconstruction involving extensive dental work, heavy medication--everything but surgery.

i've got scrips for flexeril (a muscle relaxer), celebrex, and vicoprofin for when the pain is unbearable & i want to temporarily die. my specialist in the states writes the scrips for flexeril & vicoprofin, my mom fills them & ships them over to me when i'm running low. totally illegal, but ask me if i care. nothing i can get here touches the excruciating pain when i go into spasm.

i'm six months pregnant now and haven't taken any meds other than paracetamol since july. fortunately, the joints loosen up a bit with pregnancy, and i think this is working to my advantage. i do sleep with a night guard in, which my specialist over here made for me. i go back every few months to have it readjusted because my bite is constantly changing. my specialist normally charges £150 per visit, but has very kindly agreed to treat the tmj symptoms at no cost while i am eligible for free dental.

this disease has affected every aspect of my life. it has made me familiar with what i believe has got to be the most unbearable pain known to the human body. it has made me pray to die.

but it's also put me into a unique position to potentially help other people who suffer with it.

i found my specialist through a list of uk-based tmj society members, which was given to me by my american specialist. i'll be happy to email the list to you if you'd like, just let me know.

man, why can't i be famous as the broad who met bono several times instead of the broad whose jaws are falling off? 

To me you're famous for being the wee pregnant one who is just about from my hometown!  (speaking of which, can you save me your maternity clothes??)

Oh, and actually that wasn't a totally random hijack, as I have stress/tension problems that cause me to grind my teeth at night.  But I have been getting better at it lately and haven't needed my mouthpiece much. 

And julia, my BIL's dentist told him to drink a beer before bed to relax. 

To me you're famous for being the wee pregnant one who is just about from my hometown!  (speaking of which, can you save me your maternity clothes??)

still wearing my regular clothes (thank god for belly bands!!!)

Weirdly I just checked into having massage therapy on the NHS.

It will really depend on what services the Primary Care Trust (PCT) in your area commissions. Most don't commission massage. You could phone the Patient Advice & Liaison Service for your PCT and ask. If they don't, you can ask your GP to write to the Individual Case Review Panel at your PCT - he/she would have to state your case and explain what the benefit would be to you to receive it.

still wearing my regular clothes (thank god for belly bands!!!)

*another hijack*

SO NOT FAIR!!!

  (speaking of which, can you save me your maternity clothes??)

<hijack>

Is there something you need to tell us Geeta? 

<end hijack>

<hijack>

Is there something you need to tell us Geeta? 

<end hijack>

No no no no no no no

Don't worry, you know I won't be so subtle about it when the time comes!!

You ARE the queen of Subtle. 

You ARE the queen of Subtle. 

Oh yes, subtle is my middle name, didn't you know??

Oh, and actually that wasn't a totally random hijack, as I have stress/tension problems that cause me to grind my teeth at night.  But I have been getting better at it lately and haven't needed my mouthpiece much. 

And julia, my BIL's dentist told him to drink a beer before bed to relax. 

LOL about the beer. What have you been actively doing to help with your grinding? I know I've started doing that at night too.

niku2,

I'm so sorry about your situation. Compared to you I literally have nothing to complain about. I'm really sorry! This may sound dumb but eventually will they reconstruct your jaw or something? I don't mean to sound stupid or anything worse but there has to be something they can do? Or would any bone put there fall ill as well?

i had gone to TMJ specialists in the states but mine cared nothing about my dental health and put me in appliances 24 hours a day which started to wear down the enamel on my teeth. I'm talking titanium appliances. I slept in them, etc, everything except eat. It was a constant battle between the dentist and the specialist with me in the middle. One dentist threw my appliance across his tray in disgust. I paid over $3k for that thing and he was throwing it around. I was soo mad. Needless to say I never went back... even if in the end he proved right. I was in tears. (don't know why I went off on that tangent).