Hello everyone, I have Psa and AS and have been having problems with my jaw, just one side, for some time. It is becoming more painful, if I yawn or laugh too much (no justice eh? it does us all good to be able to laugh). Have been struggling to open my mouth wide enough at dentist and jaw starts acheing straight away. Sawe my Rheumatologist last week and she had x-rays done and said the jaw looks worn and has referred me to a Maxo-facial specialist. She said they may do injections into the jaw or even surgery!! Do not fancy that. Has anyone had similar problems and had either treatments, would really welcome some feedback and advice. Thank you in advance.
I would not fancy that either. But I have had steroid injections in my knees and although not exactly fun, they really helped. Generally speaking it does look like many people here have found that these injections help a lot.
I guess this is something you'll be wanting to discuss more with the specialist and perhaps with your rheumy, especially if surgery's required. But I reckon it is definitely worth considering.
I haven't had my jaw injected but I've had several elsewhere in my body. My experience has been the injections done by an interventional radiologist with ultrasound guidance have been painless, just a small, easily bearable feeling of pressure when the steroid is injected into the joint. The injections done blind by a rheumy have hurt like hell. When it works, though, it makes it all worthwhile. Personally, I'd rather start with the injections before considering surgery ... outside of the spinal column I understand that the TMJ is the greatest concentration of nerves anywhere in the body. I'm sure you'll reach the right decision for you once you talk it through some more with your medics.
Its amazing what pops up here. I have been fighting that jaw thing for a while and have had injections medication changes etc. all the wile I was also dealing with "chest Pain" I was finally referred to a new cardiologist yesterday. This guy gut doesbt play with the "cardio lab guys" Instead of looking for a test to treat, he pulled every scan lab test etc done the last there years and put them on a spread sheet with every diagnoses. and so forth with each the symptoms as a row. he called my Rheumie ad had along talk, called a compounding Pharmacist made a spread sheet of every med I was currently taking or took recently. he went back to treatments I had as far back as when I was 106 for some strange lymph happenings ( I have had several groups remove because of swelling and enlargement) I have also had jaw and chest injections WHICH DID help.
When he got all done his conclusion was my docs were looking at too narrow of a field because my docs were "over specialized" He feltt the answer was as clear as it could be. As a result I have a new Dignose (which all of my docs are on board with.) Although he believes its too late and my condition is now terminal do to the possibility of blood clods popping loose at anytime, it is treatable, He came up with consult from the compounder a magic gookempuckey med which he said should show improvement in 24 hour or less (along with my current regime)
Well despite the scary term Severe Sarcoid Arthritis, he appears to be right. The pharmacists mixture of colcocine, indocine, and prednisone is interesting to say the least. I two weeks they are doing a full upper body MRI to plan a series of injections. The magic mixture will be stepped up every two days until I get bad belly pain, diarrhea, and nausea and the each med slightly backed off until the symptoms improve.
About the 24 hour thing. I slept through the night laying down (can't remember when that last happened) coughed this morning without nearly passing of from pain. I even ate breakfast without waiting a couple hour for my jaw to start working. Now it is about 300.00 a dose, but insurance pays. and whether it is real or a placebo effect, I don't much care (time will tell)
What I am saying is go for it. We really don't know everything involved. Like my doc Newton says. Inflamation didn't ever read the text book, and isn't likely to follow the rules anyway. We don't categorize inflammatory arthritis in Kids (its just poly arthritis or idiopathic arthritis. We shouldn't box adults in either. Its nice to be on a positive track (mostly) again
Thanks for all your help and information. I have had steroid injections before, just not in my jaw, and in most cases they have helped. At one point they were going to do some in my finger joints alongside ultrasound, but decided there were too many joints to do, but that sounds a good plan for the jaw. I have never found steroid injections uncomfortable but my jaw could prove different!! Will let you know. thanks.
Thanks that sounds like a better way to go about it, I know what you mean about having them done blind. of course they are not at the sharp end of the needle, so they are not too worried!
Jules G said:
I haven't had my jaw injected but I've had several elsewhere in my body. My experience has been the injections done by an interventional radiologist with ultrasound guidance have been painless, just a small, easily bearable feeling of pressure when the steroid is injected into the joint. The injections done blind by a rheumy have hurt like hell. When it works, though, it makes it all worthwhile. Personally, I'd rather start with the injections before considering surgery ... outside of the spinal column I understand that the TMJ is the greatest concentration of nerves anywhere in the body. I'm sure you'll reach the right decision for you once you talk it through some more with your medics.
thanks Sybil, I definately will start with the injections, do not fancy surgery at the moment.
Sybil said:
I would not fancy that either. But I have had steroid injections in my knees and although not exactly fun, they really helped. Generally speaking it does look like many people here have found that these injections help a lot.
I guess this is something you'll be wanting to discuss more with the specialist and perhaps with your rheumy, especially if surgery's required. But I reckon it is definitely worth considering.
Have you tried systemic steroids? The jaw itself may not be the whole problem. a couple days of a steroid burst won't hurt and could help. I'm believer based on my experience. It could be glands or even cervical involvement.
I agree with everyone about trying the injections before surgery. I also have jaw problems but not so severe that I need injections. Some days I can't open my mouth too wide but I make do. The dentist is also another problem. I have a crown placement on Monday, not sure how that will do. I am sure my jaw will be sore for weeks afterwards.