Nicole

Health Interests

Chronic Pain,  TMJ,  Sciatica,  PTSD,  Reynaud's,  Anxiety

Drugs I am Taking

Nicole has not shared any drug information.

About Me

I’m 30 years old and live in California, with my husband, daughter and dog. I have had TMJ since childhood (which I believe resulted from trauma as a child to the jaw) with very few pain symptoms for many years. More trauma to the jaw occurred about five years ago in which my jaw was forced too far open during repeated dental procedures, further displacing the discs, and muscles were strained and some tearing resulted. Now I live in pain daily, have deteriorating muscle mass in my face, chronic facial pain, tension and spasming throughout my jaw and neck, headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, etc. My opening is very limited, so my diet is mostly restricted to soft foods and liquids. I have had an athrocentisis (done in an attempt to remove some scar tissue that accumulated from the tearing), to flush out the joints and lessen the chronic swelling; however that was unsuccessful. Other treatments I have pursued include acupuncture, massage therapy, physical therapy, medications, botox injections, chiropractics… to name a few. I am currently in a pain management program which includes (along with medication) taking classes on managing stress management, learning relaxation techniques, etc. in an effort to better understand and manage my pain. I also suffer from anxiety, PTSD and Reynaud’s.
I have recently gone through a successful pregnancy, and delivered a healthy baby girl despite the challenges of chronic pain. My recent journey hasn't been easy, but it is by far the most rewarding one yet! I look forward to sharing my story, making friends and perhaps helping others along the way.