Bi-Polar, Add, SADD ,TMJ

I know I mentioned this in answering one of your questions, but if you are mainly interested in talking with people suffering with bipolar, you'll find many more on our bipolar site:  http://www.healthcentral.com/bipolar

Don't get me wrong, we're happy to have you here on ChronicPainConnection.  There are several people here who have TMJ and hopefully they will be able to give you some good suggestions. 

Some other references you might find helpful:

TMJ Information:  http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/tmj.html?ic=4025

ADD/ADHD site:  http://www.healthcentral.com/adhd

Hi, I suffer from Tmj. I don't suffer from bi-polar. But I have bouts of depression sometimes. Exercise and diet help me tremendously.I have a numbing pain in my right facial area and neck from my TMJ. Doesn't hurt when I chew just the next day or several hours after I chewed alot.Somedays it's pretty painful and annoying. Other days it's mild. I have noticed that a good diet regimen and exercise like running helps treat my condition. Sugar or alot of carbohydrates aggravate it. What I recommend you do is cut out sugar as much as possible and any and all processed and high caloric foods. You definitely will feel better. Get plenty of exercise and drink plenty of water. I know it's hard during the holiday season but try the diet and exercise asap. You will feel better at least :). It has worked for me. But the holiday diet for me is bad so it has flared up now. But I will get tough and get on my diet again and feel better :). Get plenty of rest at night a full 8 hours would be wonderful:). Keep good posture at all times. This takes awhile to train yourself.

Here are some things to write down and I mean write them down. It is so much more remembered if you take good notes:#1 Sleep Great (Go to a website on sleeping disorders to help you sleep). #2 Diet: Eat non-processed and high fiber foods. (you can get more info on good diet on the web just look up a good diet and you will get all the info on it. A good diet will eliminate several medical conditions. Including High Blood Pressure. Helps your mood also. Just to name a couple very important benefits of a good diet. #3 Exercise:) walking, slow jogging,stretching but don't stretch the neck or anything close to the Tmj area. This could aggravate it. again look up good exercise on the web.4#Change your thoughts to Positive thoughts. Always live for the future. 5# Stay busy with getting stuff done. Do Small tasks then those will lead to bigger tasks. Everything in Moderation. 6# Breathing technics, yoga, massage, self help books are all good for ya. 7#Make phone calls to loved ones. Don't be afraid to yell at someone if there giving you a hard time. Speak your mind never hold in or harbor bad emotions. #8 Keep the stress level in check.Never get to stressed out over something that doesn't warrant it. Holidays can try and stress you out but don't let them get to you. Make lists so you don't forget things .Take everything you can from what I said here. If I said some things that help you that would make me happy that I was able to help you and anyone else that is hurting. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !

I had TMJ in my late teens and it was determined the bone in my left lower jaw was shorter than the right side. They went in and cut both sides and wired my mouth shut to allow the left side bone to grow in a new section in the space. it took about 7 to 8 weeks. Most of my problems were corrected but it has now been determined they should have also caped all my teeth at the same time to give me an actual bite. If i stay away from chewing gum or anything that might over exercise the jaw and wear my night garde I don't have too much trouble.

On a side note, I have been treated for depression for the past 30 years also but I am ready to change doctors and be checked out for bi polar. I lost my sister and two younger cousins to suside and have two other cousions on very strong meds. Although the meds are now holding back the suside thoughts there is still a lot of other problems and lack in quaility of life.

I am on this site because of herinated discs in my lower back which I think is just one of the many ways my body is telling me to get rid of the stress and quite holding it in!

Marcywool,

I am sorry to hear of your condition.  It too suffer from tmj along with chronic pain due to the tmj and 4 previous neck surgeries for 3 herniated disc's in my neck.  The curviture of my neck is reversed thus causing alot of problems.  I have been through realigning my teeth with braces to help my bite alignment.  I take narcotics to help with the pain.  The medicine helps but not as much with the jaw as it helps with the neck and periphial pain. There is one thing that I did not notice in the other comments that you received.  It's caffeine.  Do you consume caffeine?  I was told by my orthodontist during my time of seeing him that caffeine being a stimulant can add to your pain.  I didn't think much of it at the time and continued to drink soft drinks that had caffeine.  I eventually felt so bad that I slowly reduced the amount of caffeine that I was drinking.  It makes a difference.  I now drink only pop without caffeine.  If I for one reason or another drink pop or coffee with caffeine my jaw and facial pain increase greatly.  I will feel worse than usual for a day or two and then the pain will subside to a lesser level.  Chronic pain is a terrible thing.  It has destroyed my life.  I lost a good job, lost my family through a divorce and my ability to hold gainful employment.  I hope for the best for you and have already prayed for you.  Jesus Christ is the difference for me.  He brings me hope for that new body without pain that I am promised in heaven.  If you don't know Jesus I would be glad to tell you all about Him and what it takes to gain eternal salvation.

Don 

I found a really great chiropractor that has been treating my TMJ.  She adjusts the bones in my jaw and/or works on the muscles as needed and it has helped greatly.  I still have tension and muscle issues from my jaw down to my shoulder, but it is much less.  When the pain gets worse I know that it needs an adjustment.  My chiropractor does recommend some stretching of the jaw to loosen the muscles (but I would only do what is recommended for you personally).  I would also recommend some massage to go with the chiropractic care.  If I also do massage it reduces the pain even more.  Many chiropractors or massage therapists also massage the inside of the mouth which can really help ease the tension in the jaw.  Make sure you find a chiropractor and/or massage therapist who are experienced with TMJ - they can make it much easier to live with TMJ.  I also have a nightguard that I use to keep from clenching while I sleep.  I would think that surgery would be a last resort and only done after it has been recommended as your best treatment by 2 or 3 doctors. 

I went to a physical therapist. He did wonders for my TMJ. I have exercises to do when my begins to act up that almost stops it in its tracks.