I Got Botox for My TMJand It Worked!
TMJ, short for temporomandibular joint disorder, can be an extremely painful condition one that can lead to constant migraines, achy jaws, and sleepless nights.
This condition affects more than 10 million Americans each year.
What causes TMJ? A number of different pathologies, actually. TMJ refers to a general disorder in the jaw area, whether that be directly on the jaw or even in the surrounding neck muscles.
Kristin Auble from Allure tried an innovative solution to solve her TMJ Botox! Thats right, Botox can be used for TMJ as well. Heres her story.
A HISTORY OF CLENCHING
One of the pathologies of TMJ is stress-related. It involves clenching the jaw muscles reflexively in response to stress. This can even occur at night, when people cant control it.
In Aubles case, she tried orthotics and a mush diet in order to mitigate the effects of her condition. This was when a surgeon recommended Botox to her.
Some individuals taking Botox to slim their lower jaw noticed, by luck, that it provided relief to their jaw pain. Essentially, the Botox blocks signals from the overactive jaw muscles, preventing the clenching that causes pain.
So how did it turn out?
A HAPPY ENDING
After her procedure, Auble noticed that, amazingly, she could chew gum for the first time in years. Within two weeks of the procedure, the quality of her sleep improved.
All in all, it was a happy ending a procedure that took just about 15 minutes helped significantly mitigate years of chronic pain.
If youre interested in getting Botox to treat TMJ, its worth pointing out that this is an off-label use of the product that still hasnt been approved by the FDA. Another consideration is that Botox is something that needs to be regularly maintained, with visits about twice a year.
Interested in Botox to help your TMJ? Call Rostami OPC today to schedule an appointment and find out if Botox for TMJ is right for you.