I have been dealing with tmj for about 7 months and the dr i went to wants to wait to treat. how can i manage pain for now?

TMJ: Not sure what you've tried so far. Bite splints (mouth guards) are the initial treatment choice. Exercises can be found on the internet to strengthen your tmj. Local heat applications to the affected joints, Naproxen or Ibuprofen can be tried to help the pain. Ultimately, steroid injections to the affected joint can be tried but this is usually done by the specialist.

Second opinion: The first line of treatment for TMJ is a bite splint, similar to night guard. This can relieve pain quickly. If you have not seen a dentist prostodontist, or oral surgeon who is well trained in treating tmj, you may want to seek a second opinion. You need to find the cause of your TMJ pain. Meanwhile ibuprophen can help with the pain.

Causes? Treat?: TMJ pain runs the gamut from mild & temporary symptoms to severe chronic pain & dysfunction to everything in between. It's hard enough to evaluate & treat some patients when we can actually evaluate them in person. Therefore, I suggest you seek a consultation with a local dentist who has extensive training & experience in this area for an evaluation and treatment as and\if necessary.

FRUSTRATED: I can sense your frustration and i don't blame you. I had had some patients who have seen their dentists and they tell them just to live with it. Then they see their doctors (md, do, etc., ) and they are told "it is all in your head." you should see a tmj/tmd specialist or an oral surgeon to hopefully get to the source and provide a viable treatment.

A few things: If you question his advice, get another expert opinion. Self treat with soft diet, jaw exercises, massage, heat/cold, OTC pain meds. A splint or physical therapy would be next. Occasionally muscle relaxants, biofeedback. Xrays are done for diagnosis. Surgery usually reserved for severe dysfunction not responding to other treatment.

TraditionalTreatment: Temporo-mandibular syndrome is the second most frequent cause of orofacial pain. Traditional treatment include: medications, soft food, physical medicine, night guard. Your dentist will create a customized treatment.

Find a new Dr: 7 months with diagnosed TMJ problem with no treatment - what is he waiting for? Did you have ortho treatment? Do you hear noise when you open and close, pain in front of ear on opening or closing? Has your jaw ever stuck open or closed? You need to see a Dr to get you out of pain and decompress disc. Buy DentaGuard and use until you find new Dr or your Dr can treat you.

Corticosteroid..: Corticosteroid injections of the TMJ can help in most cases. Only competent dentists/oral surgeons, and rheumatology specialists do this routinely!

Consider 2nd Opinion: If your Dentist wants to 'wait' while you're in pain taking Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen, I would consider going to see another Dentist. These medications, taken over extended periods of time, in your case 7-months, can/will cause organ damage of the kidneys and liver. The Tx for TMJ Disorder is non-invasive and inexpensive, related to other dental treatment. Do not delay, get a 2nd opinion.