How to handle severe jaw/neck/head pain at dentist?

[HaTikvah30]

Hi. First of all, I want to say thanks for this site. It has been so helpful already in calming my fears. Although I have a lot of the common fears that others share, one of my biggest fears and the main reason I haven't gone back to the dentist in about ten years is my fear of the severe jaw,neck,and eventually head pain that I suffer from holding my mouth open. First of all, I am unable to open my mouth very wide which I know frustrates the dentist because it is already difficult working in my small mouth. And within a minute or two of having to open my mouth as wide as possible, I get unbearable pain in my jaw that eventually moves to muscles in my neck and results in a severe migraine. I really can't even handle 5 minutes of having to keep opening my mouth, even with frequent breaks,and even if I take oral narcotic painkillers beforehand. I have even tried practicing at home, thinking maybe it would improve over time, but that only seemed to make my jaw more irritable. I do have some TMJ but also have very bad fibromyalgia.
Is there anything I or a dentist can do to get me through a dental visit without horrible PAIN? Also, am I the only one with this problem? Will a dentist even believe me when I try to explain it? I am honestly not a wimp with pain. My medical conditions, including others not listed are painful and require painful treatments which I get through with no problem. But this pain is too much to bear, especially on top of my phobias. Please help! Thank you!!!

 

[Carys]

I'm sorry, I am not a medical person, but I am a fellow sufferer. Though I think your problem is more severe than mine, I also have TMJ (from tooth clenching and chewing gum) and after my last hygenist appointment a year or so ago (!) the pain in my face and headache were almost unbearable for 3 or 4 days. I personally wondered if a more upright position might help in the chair, as I felt that lying back and having my mouth so wide was a particularly bad position ?!

Sorry I can't help more.