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My strange and unusual dental journey (root canal, wisdom tooth, filling and more)

I know my thread is getting ridiculously long. Lol.

I just wanted to update after a month or so of physical therapy for my TMD and atypical facial pain. It seems to have helped a LOT.

I haven’t taken any medication for about two weeks now. My pain level has gone down and I just have occasional flare ups.

I had dry needling for the first time last week, at the physical therapists and last week was the first time in three years that my upper right quadrant was completely pain free! I have always had low level annoying pain there that I have learned to ignore, almost like something stuck between my molars, under the gums. It was gone. She had done the dry needling only on the right side.

Last week and this week are probably two of the most stressful weeks I have had in a long time as I am getting my house ready to put on the market, my husband had to start his new job in another state (over 1700 miles away) and I am here with the kids by myself packing and cleaning. No pain until this week when my muscles tightened up. Therapist did more dry needling yesterday on both sides and the pain I have is really low level. Normally I would be popping Tylenol right now like crazy. So it works for me!!! The exercises seem to help as well.
 
That is awesome! I'm curious if they are doing the dry needling in your face, or the neck muscles, or other places?
I hope your move goes well.
 
superjen said:
That is awesome! I'm curious if they are doing the dry needling in your face, or the neck muscles, or other places?
I hope your move goes well.
Click to expand...
It was in my jaw. I have knots in the muscles in my jaw. She put the needles right into the knots.
 
lillyh said:
How are you doing?
Click to expand...
I am MUCH better now! I am still seeing a orofacial pain specialist but only two to three times a year now. She did lidocaine trigger point injections at my last appointment, which took away all pain (even a nagging headache I had). The pain is fairly minimal now, more just an annoyance. She also gave me a prescription lidocaine gel so that when I get a toothache, I can apply it. If the pain goes away, it is just my atypical facial pain. If it persists or gets worse, I need to get it checked out. So far so good!
 
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