I just found this support group ...searched before for TMJ disorders support groups but hard to find! The pain and hopelessness gets worse with no one out there.. and when no doctor has a place to learn TMJ as a specialty ...it makes things so frustrating! 

I've had jaw issues and popping and mild soreness as far back in my childhood as I can remember...got worse as I got older. But what made things unbearable with my jaw was my untreated tooth abscess...after a couple years dealing with that I finally got dental insurance and got that broken tooth removed...then another as the dentist said another was about to do the same...since that dental work and lots of fillings ( he was rough) I've been in worse pain resulting in my decision to remove my wisdom teeth as I could no longer reach them and now paranoid about tooth abscesses...my teeth and the gums were old teeth were removed feel like my infected teeth felt..I switched dentists, but still with no huge comprehension with TMJ, I still face lots of pain with each visit. It has been a total of 6 teeth removed in less than a year...I am hoping in a couple years I can be back to what I used to call normal.

The pain from TMJ disorders is far worse than other pain..so many days I have cried..and now I know that my ears ringing/hissing/buzzing that I've learned to ignore my whole life so I could function was never my ears...so many wrong doctors have I been to. Still gotta see my ENT to confirm. I did my own research and just asked my oral surgeon if my issues could be TMD..he confirmed I do have it and offered a script for a splint that medicaid will not cover. Sometimes my teeth hurt, they feel like they're abscessing but are totally fine and healthy... we're pretty sure I have nerve and sinus damage from the long lasting infection, ENT can confirm the sinus part. My eyes hurt but eyesight is fine. I do not grind my teeth at night...but I do clench my jaw (and whole body..very stiff). even if injections were covered, I would still not want more things injected into me (I live very organic/natural). My primary care prescribed muscle relaxers..I refuse to use them..would cause other long term issues in me as I need a permanent solution not a short term pill. I drink chamomile tea nightly and that helps..add valerian root when having a worse time. 

What also has been helping me cope: hot water bottle..like at least every morning especially with cold weather. I keep myself warm to not stiffen up as much. Gentle massage the TMJ.. Herbal teas daily. I learned that smiling helps...uses less muscles and relaxes the face and appreciating the small things ( sunrise/sunset, animals, plants in our community, nice people) helps bring little smiles often to relax my face. I do relaxing techniques before going to sleep..remind myself every night to unclench my jaw. Also, I've found tumeric pills that seem to help. And I go to acupuncture..my town has a community acupuncture that is super affordable..when I can find the time anyway..and just distractions help too..but it's harder when it's your face that's super inflamed. And of course soft, small bites of food...I've been too resistant to go all liquid

Well, thanks for reading and letting me share..what I would like is for a medical profession that specializes in TMJ and TMJ disorders; it upsets me when I've read more about it than my doctors.