(Part 2) Top products from r/TMJ

What does your therapist say about continuing amitriptylline till you're doing better pain-wise? Also discuss the dose and understand the side effects. Usually by the time you get to 50mg at bedtime the pain is improved, but you need to discuss the appropriateness of that with your therapist or PCP. What does he/she say about adding relaxation techniques to the counseling? In the long run, meditation, exercise, progressive relaxation, music, positive social engagement, etc. seems like a better option than medications (or at least a good adjunct if they remain necessary).

At this point the dental part of TMJ syndrome seems less immediate than the psychological part. Check out this book: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/newsroom/articles/2016/opioid-free-pain-relief-kit-10-simple-steps.html. it comes with a relaxation CD and you can get it used on Amazon.

This book also looks good (have ordered it but haven't read it yet). It sounds like it's the chronic pain reduction guide from the American Psychiatric Association: https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1591470498/ref=tmm_pap_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=&sr=

Thank you so much for your response! Yes, death can indeed be a comforting thought, with the right attitude.

What I’ve been wearing is a “true anterior positioning appliance” that pushes my jaw forward. I don’t actually know for sure how the doc diagnosed whether or not I had an anteriorly displaced disc – there was one time after the clicking and popping had been getting worse that my jaw eventually “dislocated” (doc’s term, not sure on specifics). I was spooked by the cost of an MRI and after my hesitation, he never insisted on one. Though with Ibuprofen and time things seemed to be getting better, he had this (expensive, of course) nighttime appliance made for me that I’ve been wearing ever since, along with a daytime appliance that I don’t wear anymore (can’t remember how long I wore it for- months? Over a year?). I’ve never actually been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Except for a sleepy energy drop in the late afternoon, I don’t exhibit potential symptoms of it. Anatomically there are warning signs (small jaw with oversized tongue, scalloped tongue, more) but again I’ve never been diagnosed. This so-called TMJ specialist had me do a home sleep test seven months after I started wearing the orthotics, and I think I was wearing the orthotic at the time. An “interested party” has since told me that there were problems with the test – for instance, no sleep physician examined the results, only a tech – but in any case, this potentially problematic sleep test did not suggest sleep apnea (though I was wearing the orthotic…). And yet I’ve been wearing this anterior repositioning orthotic for five years. Is this all sketchy? Because it seems sketchy to me. (I also don’t trust my current doc very much because of two rounds of prolotherapy, but that’s another story.)

I see that LVI advocates “physiologic dentistry,” which is often a synonym for neuromuscular dentistry, right? I was looking at Dawson’s recent textbook (on Amazon preview), which suggests that these technologies can be useful if people know what they’re doing and make the right scientific assumptions, which seems sane. But then how does the patient know that the dentist knows what he’s doing with these K-7s and TENS and whatnot?

I’m particularly concerned with the neuromuscular approach because there’s another “TMJ specialist” in my area who apparently trained with Dawson for a few years and specialized in oral surgery for about 20-25 years before shifting towards a neuromuscular approach and treating patients for TMD and sleep apnea for the past 5ish years. The past experience would give me hope that he might know what he’s doing more than the average neuromuscular doc, though your perspective is making me hesitant to go down this path. I don’t mind the thought of wearing a gelb splint for 4-6 weeks – seems less manipulative than this orthotic I’ve been wearing. Perhaps it would reset things to a better place after five years of my jaw jutting forward at night and taking hours for the bite to readjust each day? Have you found gelb splints to be beneficial in the short or long term- and does my reasoning hold any water at all? It’s the thought of phase II, getting my bite adjusted with filing and additions, that freaks me out, even though I’m told it would be minimal. Maybe it creates a perfect bite now, but what about after I’ve aged for another 20 years? I guess it’s like you say- the promise of finding a perfect solution, instead of realizing that TMD is the sort of thing that has to be managed.

Yikes, this is long, and I fully acknowledge that just because I’ve spent hours of my life attempting to research this stuff doesn’t mean I actually understand anything. I’ll look further for people with the Spear affiliation. Thanks for reading.

I've been using these with my Android phone: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0117RFPCC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Very comfortable. Other earbuds would lead to discomfort, but these have been nice.

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Unsure how well it works with a PC, it use's one three-pole TRSS connection (2.5mm jack with 3 rings on it; rings for left channel, right channel, mic, so if PC port isn't 3-pole mic input might not be applied.)

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Alternatively, one can look for clip-on microphones that plug into the microphone port and attach them to some comfortable headphones or earbuds.

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Not the best noise isolation though - the price to pay for comfort I guess.

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On my desktop this is what I found works for me:

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-Audiophile-Open-Air-Headphones/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=AD700&qid=1562693195&s=gateway&sr=8-1&th=1

with https://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=zalman+clip-on+mic&qid=1562693251&s=electronics&sr=8-1-fkmr0

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for clip-on mics you might want to search for one that does a better job with noise cancellations. I'm recalling the zalman will pickup stuff like keyboard typing. I had to alter gain and other stuff to get it calibrated.

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There is a less expensive AD500 model as well. I like the Audiotechnica's because they're quite comfortable. However, I know this isn't exactly the typical 'headset+mic' combo that get's used in sales. I got this equipment for video gaming, back when I still could do that years ago.

Oh wow. Are you able to get ahold of some EarPlanes to see if they help? You already have a control that you have pain when flying. The reviews seem very promising.

Any way you can get these or find these before then?
https://www.amazon.com/EarPlanes-Ear-Plugs-Pair-Pack/dp/B001HTWL8C

I use chelates magnesium glycinate, which is readily absorbable. Any other kind gives me the shits lol. Make sure to take it with food. I use drs best


https://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Absorption-Magnesium-Glycinate/dp/B000BD0RT0

I really like taking magnesium glycinate because it's one of the most bioavailable forms of magnesium and has the added bonus of quelling some of my baseline anxiety. I usually take it before bed, so no feelings of fuzziness here.

I use [KAL Brand] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00013YZ1Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&th=1), but it looks like OP's brand is very similar.

I use the Knobble II on my jaw sometimes and it seems to help about as much as using my hands or knuckles. Haven't yet found a good one for my neck.

https://www.amazon.com/Original-Reflexology-Myofascial-Pressure-Positive/dp/B0012136E8

I also use a jade roller sometimes since the cold helps me a bit

edit: added jade roller

I have a small mouth and have used this one. Not currently due to sinus issues but the first timeci used it, it was life changing.
DenTek Comfort-Fit Dental Guard Kit, Night Guard For Teeth Grinding https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002WTCK4Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uxEQDb78M52JH
Got mine at CVS

I have a water pillow (linked below) that has totally changed my life. I’ve had it for over a year and it works wonders. It was studied at Johns Hopkins and is clinically proven to reduce neck pain.

I’m a severe bruxer and my physiatrist gives me Botox injections to stop the grinding and trigger point injections for neck and back pain. All of this (plus night guards) has helped immensely. I hope you can find some relief!

Mediflow Water Pillow