Filed under: Health
Oh, blog of mine… how I have neglected you. Forgive me.
So, a couple weeks ago, I went to a neurologist to see if I could get some medication for my daily headaches. I was recommended to Dr. Piniero by my dad, who kept referring him to “Dr. Panera,” so I felt like an idiot when I called to make an appointment.
Anyway, the doctor asked me tons of questions, and made a comment about how small my face is. Then he pressed on the bones on the side of my face and on my temples, and asked if it hurt. It did. A lot. Then he told me I have TMJ headaches. I didn’t know there was such a thing.
I have an unusually small face, mouth, and jaw. My jaw is always trying to come out further when I sleep, which causes pain, which causes headaches. Which is why I wake up with a headache almost every morning. I always thought my headaches were a hereditary thing… I always thought I got them from my Dad. It turns out his are attributed to allergies. Weird.
Dr. Piniero said that TMJ headaches are pretty common, and that some people have surgery to try and correct their jaws. He told me that it was completely unnecessary, and just prescribed me some medicine. I have to take it every night before I go to bed for the rest of my life. He also told me I should take Aleve every other day.
The medication made me really sick and nauseous the first couple of days, but I realized that my bedtime is a lot later than most peoples, and that the medication probably hasn’t worn off yet when I get up for work in the mornings. So, I’ve been taking it around 10 every night, and it’s been awesome ever since. I have a follow up appointment next month. Can’t wait.
Also, I’m getting fitted for a new retainer next week, since I stopped wearing mine a few months after I got my braces off in 11th grade. My teeth are so gross. My poor, poor deformed mouth and jaw.
So, to every one who was curious about my headache situation…. it’s not a tumor. I’m going to live after all. Deformed small jaw and all.
2 Comments so far
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delete the adjectives and you'll have the facts. 
nuts. i never heard of that but that must be such a relief!
Comment by d April 17, 2009 @ 12:24 amI, too, have TMJ. I have the same headaches just about everyday, & even worse is the lockjaw. Sometimes I will wake up in the middle of the night & can’t close or open my mouth – stuck halfway open. Hurts like a bitch. Congrats on the meds.
Comment by DeviantRadio June 2, 2009 @ 7:02 am