@maxence hi Max you should start your own separate forum post with your pictures, then more people will comment.
Maxence- we're not doctors here, so you do need a medical opinion... but the styloid processes each side to look quite long, and close to the vertebrae processes too, so that narrows the gap even more for blood vessels and nerves etc. to possibly get compressed.
Adam:
Sorry I missed your previous msg. You mentioned biofeedback -- I went through a chronic pain program at St. Jude's Rehabilitative Center In Brea and they have a therapist that does Biofeedback there. It was really helpful for me to visually see on the computer screen how just by doing breathing exercises I can release muscle tensions, control temperature, lower heart-rate, etc. However, I feel the same effect can be achieved by listening to progressive relaxation or hypnosis audios (in fact that's the homework they give you after going through the biofeedback sessions/courses at the pain center). I have a few of those audios that I downloaded from the web (some free, some for a small fee). You can look around and find ones you like better.
I like Dr. Goei because she seemed more receptive and friendly and takes time to listen and answer all my concerns. Although Dr. Demerijian is also very thorough in this examinations and explanations, I felt more rushed at his appointments. Dr. Goei is also the one who recommended me to go see an upper cervical chiropractor because she thought I may have more neck issues rather than just the TMJ... turns out she was right, and if not for following her advice, I wouldn't have then found out about the fracture on my hyoid bone. Dr. Demerijian did point out the ossified stylohyoid ligament, although he didn't comment further and I didn't have the chance to ask more questions; unlike Dr. Goei who thinks TMJ treatment and upper cervical adj. can go on concurrently, Dr. Demerijian told me not to get those adj when he treats TMJ else he wouldn't know what's working and what's not. So they do differ in their approaches... however, I feel they are both really knowledgeable and capable doctors for treating TMJ issues. Here's is a talk Dr. Demerijian gave at a pain conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUvhSqNO46c
@bella did either doc take insurance? which one helped you more? (please private message me the info)
Adam: I feel they both helped me a lot thus far, but personally prefer Dr. Goei and I am going to begin TMJ treatment with her this Thursday. I have requested to be added as a friend so that I can private message you more info.
A few more thoughts to add to my previous rely:
Dr. Demerijian specializes in treating Craniofacial Pain, Sleep Disorders, etc., not just TMJ, so I am thinking that he be able to help you more for your particular situation? He did a very detailed examination and report on all the muscles in my head and neck region, which I thought was great in helping me understand all my conditions...not just the condition of my TMJ joint architecture and the usual vibration analysis, range of motion measurements, etc. It was helpful to me that he isolated and identified different muscles and degree of pain. For example I have mild to moderate pain upon palpation of my styloid processes (and "severe" pain was elicited upon palpation of the sternocleidomastoid bilaterally)... which gave me more clues as to what else might be wrong.
Dr. Goei is also very thorough, but I think more TMJ focused although she seems to be knowledgeable in the muscular component as well. She even mentioned and explained Eagles Syndrome to me yesterday at our 2nd consult without me bringing it up first. Her husband is an Oral & Maxillofacial surgeon so I think that's probably why she seems more familiar with a lot of conditions than other TMJ dentists I've encountered. She explained to me the pros and cons of the different methods of surgery intervention as well. I asked her what's our backup plan should our TMJ orthotic treatment plateaus, and she said if I continued to have a lot of symptoms she would recommend me to do some myofascial therapy to re-train the neck/jaw muscles (and even the tongue).
Wow! I was just sitting here and 'skimming' through the discussions feed and I unexpectedly came across your statement about a lot of people with ES have also reported having been in a fairly serious (or, I'm presuming, which had caused some trauma to their neck/spine) It's very interesting and coincidental that you say this. I have not yet been diagnosed with Eagles, although I can relate to so so many people's stories on here. Just the other day, my parents were over for a short visit, and they said that they were just recently nearly in a car accident and afterwards my dad had brought up the accident that he and my mother and I were in about 25 years ago, saying that "oh, I bet THAT is what's causing all (my) ..neck problems!" *another thing, I can also understand completely, what you said about people getting all freaked out if you mention or use the name 'Eagles'! I have experienced this with each person I ever mention it too! (even the damn doctors!) (;^]
Jules said:
I know what you mean, Bella; I think if we can understand why it seems to help with it all somehow... I haven't found anything in the research I've done to say how long it can take though. I get the impression from what I've read, and from a few members who have had ES post-tonsillectomy, that it can come on quite quickly after that, and the mechanism for inflammation and calcification is the same in both those situations, I presume. Quite a few members have had car accidents, so maybe that is the cause. I had quite a violent one back in 1994, and have had neck problems ever since, although the worst of the ES symptoms only came out in the last 3-4 years. I don't know if I can blame mine for it, but that seems to make it easier for people to understand a bit what my neck problem is! If I mention it's called Eagles Syndrome and some bones in my neck are too long, they get really freaked out- visions of wings growing out the side of my neck I think!!
bella - it’s been a few months. How’s it going with Dr. Goei?
A standard Panoramic xray taken by your dental office or an oral and maxilofacial surgeon will show you what you need to know.
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Hi adam, sorry for the super late reply! I’m happy to report that under Dr. Goei’s care (plus an upper cervical chiropractor’s concurrent effort), my TMJ issues have improved significantly. I still have some bad days, but as a whole, I am in less pain (jaw and temporal muscles, neck, shoulder, head), my head/neck feel more aligned and as a result I feel less pressure and less headaches. The TMJ problem is far from completely resolved I have to honest, and I’ve had days that made me doubt if the orthotic device was really working or actually making things worse; however, having had time pass and opportunity to observe and analyze patterns, I’ve come to learn that those setbacks were caused by untreated mis-alignment in my neck, flares of my other cyclic inflammatory condition, and indication that it was just about time for another adjustment of the TMJ orthotic device). My overall condition today is better by leaps and bounds, compared to before treatment.
Have you gone to her for a consult or started treatment?