I have been experimenting with sleeping on my back, and it helps. Sleeping on my side produces the worse amount of pain.

I had a doctor tell me that sleeping on your stomach is very bad for TMJD. When your neck is turned all the way to one side, the muscles from your neck up into your face cause too much strain on your TMJ. He recommended a contour pillow designed for sleeping on your side or back. It took me a really long time to adjust to not sleeping on my stomach, but it was worth is as I don't wake in as much pain.

My TMJ specialist has told me to sleep on my back. My physical therapist said that my side would be ok as well but NEVER my stomach. My jaw doc has even agreed with my PT that sometimes sleeping on my side is ok too but really the back is the best.

Hope this helps.

I sleep on which ever side hurts the least that day. I also curl my headto my chin and it streches the neck muscles, although it takes me forever to fall asleep, and I toss and turn the whole time. I also can only sleep fro a few hours.

Sandrath have you thought about seeking pain management for htis problem?

I am already seeking treatment. I was misdiagnoswd for so many years and had wisdom teeth surgery and about ten failed mouthguards. I also had my teeth grinded down, and was finally shunned from every dentist in my area. The only solution they gave me was not to eat and I quicklu lost eighty pounds. I couldn't walk, talk or eat for three years, and I finally found a tmj climic two hours away. I have been going there for three years now and can finally eat, and talk again. I go to physical therapy to ease the pain, but I am still have almost constant migraines and dizzy spells. I was prescibed medine for vertigo but it makes me sleepy and I loose my appitite. I can't afford to loose anymore weight.

TMJHOPE has 8 pages of different recipes for people with who have TMJ and difficulty eating.

I have not been told to sleep a certain way. I sleep best on my stomach but I always wake up with a headache and jaw and neck ache when I sleep that way because I always have to lay on one side of my face. I try to mostly sleep on my back to reduce my pain and had trained myself to do that mostly...but lately I am having sleep trouble and I have a lot of fibro pain in my back and at my sciatic nerve. Laying on my back puts pressure on the fibro points that are the worst for me right now so I have gone back to sleeping on my stomach. Unfortunately, this means my jaw is getting way worse again (and it was already bad)! So I would suggest sleeping on your back if you can.

Sandral,

Have you had an mri , if so what did the report say??????

A trick that I have found that works for the pillow is to get to a fabric store and buy a 1/2 inch piece of foam and put it in between the pillow case and the pillow....This is the only way I have found a pillow that works, gives the right amount of support could go to 1 inch thick foam if you need too, have tried most pillows the very expenive ones did not work. I do sleep on my stomach left side being the worse I turn my head to the right.

Take care all!!!!!