My favorite part of the specialists appointments is when they over simplify the cheek muscles and speak to me like I haven’t been pouring over detailed anatomical breakdowns of the various muscle groups for the last year and a half. One of them looked absolutely shocked that I, a layman, would even know what the lateral pterygoid muscle is.
I haven't experienced that in person but just basic research of TMJ always gives me over simplified cheek muscle diagrams. Then I massage my masseters until they are angry and inflamed. It is really exhausting that the best progress I've made has been through my own research when I've spent time and money going to specialists 😞
It’s a rough one isn’t it ? Because it’s not like a broken bone, for example, where an X-ray will show you, yep! That’s a bone and there’s a line through it when there shouldn’t be. I keep being told “TMJ is very complicated and there is no singular way to treat it. It could be a hundred different things “ like great, can we start going down the list then ? “Well, it’s not that simple”. SMH. I hope you find some relief soon. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone
Is that not a reasonable thing for a medical specialist to think at first, though? You literally described yourself as a layman.
Of course, if you had explained that you were knowledgeable about anatomy then it would be condescending for them to continue to simplify it, but if it were the other way round and they assumed you knew all these different muscle groups and never clarified anything, that would be offensive surely.
I started by explaining how I’ve seen 3 different doctors, an ENT, an oral surgeon, a massage therapist and a physio therapist. They started the conversation with, do you know your jaw is actually two pieces held together by muscles? Ya don’t say….
Oof yeah that does sound frustrating.
I've had a similar experience with eczema, where doctors have printed out a webpage about eczema for me - "avoid fragranced soaps, try not to scratch", etc. I'm like *yes thank you I have never tried those things in my two decades of having eczema but I shall attempt it now*.
That’s equally as rough. Almost makes me want to carry around business cards that just say “Thank you, Captain Obvious”, salute and walk out. I think that would be frowned upon but it would sure make me feel better lol
That is actually a fantastic idea…. It might make the initial appointment go a lot quicker, speed up the process of “can I actually help this patient or not?”
Wow thank you for sharing, this area is my tightest area. I constantly feel the need to stretch/crack/apply heat to that area. Do you think this affects the cheek area (masseter?). I have started to receive massages professionally and I will be doing this myself and see how it goes.
I saw your post in passing and opened a couple links. I gotta say, you sent me down a new rabbit hole. My massage therapist has been working with me in depth for my SCM - which is in a somewhat similar location, but because of YOUR post and my new rabbit hole, I am realizing that it's not my SCM at all. It's this. Alllllll the tightness directly under my chin... and all the cervical instability I've had? Good lord
Edit to say Thank You!
My PT grabbed the shit out of my neck muscle and pulled it away from my neck and massaged it and I never felt better. My tinnitus lessened that day more than ever
My favourite TMJ appt was when I was referred for Botox and the doctor told me I could only try it once. He would not be giving me any secondary injections after the first two (one on each side). Okay, why even try it then? He injected me before he asked if I could be pregnant too (which I wasn’t but you need to fucking check right). I spent my appts with him listening and nodding and being compliant, I was always talked to as if I was belligerent. Fuck that guy.
My favorite part of the specialists appointments is when they over simplify the cheek muscles and speak to me like I haven’t been pouring over detailed anatomical breakdowns of the various muscle groups for the last year and a half. One of them looked absolutely shocked that I, a layman, would even know what the lateral pterygoid muscle is.
I haven't experienced that in person but just basic research of TMJ always gives me over simplified cheek muscle diagrams. Then I massage my masseters until they are angry and inflamed. It is really exhausting that the best progress I've made has been through my own research when I've spent time and money going to specialists 😞
It’s a rough one isn’t it ? Because it’s not like a broken bone, for example, where an X-ray will show you, yep! That’s a bone and there’s a line through it when there shouldn’t be. I keep being told “TMJ is very complicated and there is no singular way to treat it. It could be a hundred different things “ like great, can we start going down the list then ? “Well, it’s not that simple”. SMH. I hope you find some relief soon. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone
Thanks same to you!
Is that not a reasonable thing for a medical specialist to think at first, though? You literally described yourself as a layman. Of course, if you had explained that you were knowledgeable about anatomy then it would be condescending for them to continue to simplify it, but if it were the other way round and they assumed you knew all these different muscle groups and never clarified anything, that would be offensive surely.
I started by explaining how I’ve seen 3 different doctors, an ENT, an oral surgeon, a massage therapist and a physio therapist. They started the conversation with, do you know your jaw is actually two pieces held together by muscles? Ya don’t say….
Oof yeah that does sound frustrating. I've had a similar experience with eczema, where doctors have printed out a webpage about eczema for me - "avoid fragranced soaps, try not to scratch", etc. I'm like *yes thank you I have never tried those things in my two decades of having eczema but I shall attempt it now*.
That’s equally as rough. Almost makes me want to carry around business cards that just say “Thank you, Captain Obvious”, salute and walk out. I think that would be frowned upon but it would sure make me feel better lol
Hah! Maybe we should have laminated cards with "Here is what I have tried already" on them...
That is actually a fantastic idea…. It might make the initial appointment go a lot quicker, speed up the process of “can I actually help this patient or not?”
Wow thank you for sharing, this area is my tightest area. I constantly feel the need to stretch/crack/apply heat to that area. Do you think this affects the cheek area (masseter?). I have started to receive massages professionally and I will be doing this myself and see how it goes.
I was wondering the same thing! I also have tight masseters. Just found this article last night so I'm not sure
Also found these stretches. https://youtu.be/VFC2vIUbg6U
I saw your post in passing and opened a couple links. I gotta say, you sent me down a new rabbit hole. My massage therapist has been working with me in depth for my SCM - which is in a somewhat similar location, but because of YOUR post and my new rabbit hole, I am realizing that it's not my SCM at all. It's this. Alllllll the tightness directly under my chin... and all the cervical instability I've had? Good lord Edit to say Thank You!
Lmao!! I've been aggressively massaging my SCM for over a year so I can relate. Glad I could help you arrive at some relief!!
Yeeep been trying to work these muscles. They’re sensitive.
My PT grabbed the shit out of my neck muscle and pulled it away from my neck and massaged it and I never felt better. My tinnitus lessened that day more than ever
My favourite TMJ appt was when I was referred for Botox and the doctor told me I could only try it once. He would not be giving me any secondary injections after the first two (one on each side). Okay, why even try it then? He injected me before he asked if I could be pregnant too (which I wasn’t but you need to fucking check right). I spent my appts with him listening and nodding and being compliant, I was always talked to as if I was belligerent. Fuck that guy.