My TMD Story (parenthetically speaking)
My story with TMJ began in 2013. I was a professional performer at the time. I remember coming off shows and shifts feeling totally numb in the left side of my face. And because I'm kind of dense, I just sort of metaphorically shrugged my shoulders and went about business as usual. After all, the show must go on.
Not to mention the migraines. I had my first migraine when I was a child. They continued through college, but I didn't know what they were. They happened few and far between, but began to increase in frequency after college. Doctors chalked it up to a potential food allergy of some kind.
Migraines are also very common in performers for some reason, so eventually I self-diagnosed after hearing enough people talk about them backstage. I'd pop some Excedrin migraine, take a hot bath, ask someone to take my shift and stay in bed all day.
By November 2014, I was coming offstage from a musical at Universal Studios in sheer agony. I had lost all hearing in my left ear and the sharp, shooting pains that made the left side of my skull feel like it was on fire were torture. (And not nearly as cool as the writers of Ghost Rider would have you believe.)
The pain was so bad by Christmas, all I could do was sit backstage between shows. I didn't even have the energy to walk to the green room. It took everything I had just to get through six shows a day.
That's when I finally went to the doctor. My first stop was our family practitioner who recommended me to an ear, nose and throat specialist. Then, my hearing loss was measured and tested. I was examined over the course of a few appointments and he started me on a powerful anti-viral immediately.
Because they couldn't find anything obstructing my ear and the swelling was causing my hearing loss, they had to begin treating me as though I had a brain tumor. Because they have to treat the worst case scenario first. If it's a brain tumor, you kinda want them to get started. (And I'm really grateful to that doctor for being cautious enough to do that.)
After a few days, the anti-virals made me so ill, I landed in the emergency room because I literally couldn't stop retching. I'm sorry, I know that's TMI, but I want other people to know in case this happens to them.
I paid $600 out of pocket on our Care Credit card to get my MRI. Luckily, we got the news on New Year's Eve that my brain was healthy and I was tumor-free! (Though I am still paying off that emergency room bill.)
The ear, nose and throat specialist talked to me for a long time about his hypothesis. He told me to return to my family dentist and ask for new x-rays. When I did, my dentist showed me there was no cartilage remaining on the left side of my jaw. Every time I talked or chewed, it was "bone on bone". This was causing the swelling. He sent me to the best TMJ specialist in the state.
From there, I started the right medications. I was given Nortriptyline for my migraines, SOMA for my muscles and Fioricet for any migraines that broke through. I received Botox injections up and down my left jaw and inside my mouth and ear to freeze the muscles. I was fitted for two splints for my mouth that would correct my bite and over time, lessen the swelling.
Because my TMD went undiagnosed for so long, I have arthritis in my left jaw joint. My cartilage is gone and muscle and bone degradation has begun. I won't ever be quite back to normal because of this. (Barring some scientific breakthrough, of course.) And I'm sad to say, it ended my career as a professional performer.
BUT. The upside is that over the last few years, I've tried everything, and I mean everything there is to try. (Medications, vitamins, medieval salves...) I sincerely hope someone out there can learn from my experience and prevent any damage to their own face.
I'll use this site to share encouraging stories and things I wish I knew back when I was diagnosed. I'll give you my personal recommendations for doctors, massage therapists, chiropractors and acupuncturists in the Orlando area. I'll tell you what food has helped me (spoiler alert: pineapple juice is your new best friend) what medicines I've tried that you might talk to your doctor about and much, much more.
Chronic pain and Acute TMD can be terrifying, especially when you are first diagnosed. I was shocked at the lack of information out there. (That wasn't contained in an advertisement.) So I hope to not only give you recommendations for the physical causes and symptoms, I also want to address the psychological and emotional toll this chronic condition can take and how you can stay mentally healthy as you start a journey to healing!
Not to mention the migraines. I had my first migraine when I was a child. They continued through college, but I didn't know what they were. They happened few and far between, but began to increase in frequency after college. Doctors chalked it up to a potential food allergy of some kind.
Migraines are also very common in performers for some reason, so eventually I self-diagnosed after hearing enough people talk about them backstage. I'd pop some Excedrin migraine, take a hot bath, ask someone to take my shift and stay in bed all day.
By November 2014, I was coming offstage from a musical at Universal Studios in sheer agony. I had lost all hearing in my left ear and the sharp, shooting pains that made the left side of my skull feel like it was on fire were torture. (And not nearly as cool as the writers of Ghost Rider would have you believe.)
The pain was so bad by Christmas, all I could do was sit backstage between shows. I didn't even have the energy to walk to the green room. It took everything I had just to get through six shows a day.
That's when I finally went to the doctor. My first stop was our family practitioner who recommended me to an ear, nose and throat specialist. Then, my hearing loss was measured and tested. I was examined over the course of a few appointments and he started me on a powerful anti-viral immediately.
Because they couldn't find anything obstructing my ear and the swelling was causing my hearing loss, they had to begin treating me as though I had a brain tumor. Because they have to treat the worst case scenario first. If it's a brain tumor, you kinda want them to get started. (And I'm really grateful to that doctor for being cautious enough to do that.)
After a few days, the anti-virals made me so ill, I landed in the emergency room because I literally couldn't stop retching. I'm sorry, I know that's TMI, but I want other people to know in case this happens to them.
I paid $600 out of pocket on our Care Credit card to get my MRI. Luckily, we got the news on New Year's Eve that my brain was healthy and I was tumor-free! (Though I am still paying off that emergency room bill.)
The ear, nose and throat specialist talked to me for a long time about his hypothesis. He told me to return to my family dentist and ask for new x-rays. When I did, my dentist showed me there was no cartilage remaining on the left side of my jaw. Every time I talked or chewed, it was "bone on bone". This was causing the swelling. He sent me to the best TMJ specialist in the state.
From there, I started the right medications. I was given Nortriptyline for my migraines, SOMA for my muscles and Fioricet for any migraines that broke through. I received Botox injections up and down my left jaw and inside my mouth and ear to freeze the muscles. I was fitted for two splints for my mouth that would correct my bite and over time, lessen the swelling.
Because my TMD went undiagnosed for so long, I have arthritis in my left jaw joint. My cartilage is gone and muscle and bone degradation has begun. I won't ever be quite back to normal because of this. (Barring some scientific breakthrough, of course.) And I'm sad to say, it ended my career as a professional performer.
BUT. The upside is that over the last few years, I've tried everything, and I mean everything there is to try. (Medications, vitamins, medieval salves...) I sincerely hope someone out there can learn from my experience and prevent any damage to their own face.
I'll use this site to share encouraging stories and things I wish I knew back when I was diagnosed. I'll give you my personal recommendations for doctors, massage therapists, chiropractors and acupuncturists in the Orlando area. I'll tell you what food has helped me (spoiler alert: pineapple juice is your new best friend) what medicines I've tried that you might talk to your doctor about and much, much more.
Chronic pain and Acute TMD can be terrifying, especially when you are first diagnosed. I was shocked at the lack of information out there. (That wasn't contained in an advertisement.) So I hope to not only give you recommendations for the physical causes and symptoms, I also want to address the psychological and emotional toll this chronic condition can take and how you can stay mentally healthy as you start a journey to healing!
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