Neck, shoulder, jaw.. Who is familiar with my symptoms?!

Hello,

Besides every day tension in my neck (especially side muscles), shoulder and jaw area I experience sudden spasm ( I believe it's a spasm) when one side of the neck gets very tight, including trapezious, jaw starts to click and right shoulder starts twitching ( well I feel a need to twitch to release some kind of tension ) and I listen to the cracking sound coming from there...I start to feel in a huge discomfort and anxious ....just wondering if anyone experienced the same, survived and has tips to ignore it.
Thanks !

 

Yulia I live with symptoms very similar to yours. I have been living with neck tension what feels like forever. This past June it all took a dramatic turn. I started getting sharp pains in my trapizius my neck became completely stiff my muscles in my upper and mid back were in complete spasm and my jaw started clicking. Do I understand your pain yes.
Of course I didn't start out knowing about TMS so I was being treated for a pinched nerve. My jaw was the easiest to solve. I now use a bite plate to sleep.

My symptoms aren't as severe as they were in June but I now am treating it all as TMS I've had a confirmed diagnosis by a TMS Dr in NYC. It's changed my focus from believing I had a structural issue. Is my neck still tight, yes are my trapizius muscles tight yes..do I still move my neck around yes continuously to relieve the tight feeling but with all this said I'm feeling better less scared and more connected to myself and what's going on inside of me.

How can I help?

 

Thanks Susan for sharing a bit of your story. Did you see Tms doctor only once? Why you didn't continue? What brings you comfort? Do you see your Simptoms change a bit every day in those areas? For last two weeks I have itchy skin, I scratch myself really bad without noticing it I still have doubts all of it is physiological and will not harm me
Hugs!

 

Yulia I saw the Dr mid Nov. I have another appointment for the end of this month. The reason for two months inbetween is I wanted to work with the knowing it was TMS for awhile. Perhaps I wouldn't need to see him again. However in the midst of this I've had sister issues and decided I couldn't deal or cope on my own and went into therapy. This has been very helpful for me. I also continue my Pilates Practice. I've now added journaling and I'm working on mindfulness meditation which I find very difficult. I hope this answers your questions as to what steps ivevtaken..and lets not forget like you I have found this Forum.

Have you been diagnosed? What steps have you taken to help you? TMS is like nothing I've ever experienced. I totally understand your fears and concerns.

 

We have no TMS doc in Toronto((, so I'm a doctor for myself all I do is trying to apply Tms approach , breathing, continue exercise , and started structured education program ...once in a while I still go for massage , to relax a bit...I wish you a fast recovery , or at least big improvement ( this will please me as well)

 

For your clicking jaw I recommend you see your dentist as that falls in his field. You may be grinding or clenching while you sleep. A bite plate should help. I will warn you they are costly but usually helps resolve your clicking jaw which BTW is TMJ .... which can also be from TMS. Have you seen your own MD?
Message me anytime I don't know if I can help but will always be supportive.

 

Excellent replies from Susan!

Yulia, I totally self-diagnosed myself four+ years ago. I never saw a TMS doc, and never felt the need to do so because I knew, without any doubt, that I had TMS, even as I was still reading The Divided Mind by Dr. Sarno.

Please feel free to read my profile story to see the list of symptoms that I recovered from. They included chronic neck pain with frequent muscle spasms, something I suffered from for about twenty years. I also had a dental night guard to protect my teeth from clenching my jaw at night, and I don't even think I included that on my list - but a couple of years after starting this work I decided to use some simple bedtime meditation and visualization to break myself of that habit, and I no longer use or need the night guard.

I sometimes still have symptoms when I get stressed out or I'm not being mindful, but as Susan said, I no longer fear them or worry about them, and most of the time they go away quickly. If they don't, I know I need to stop and take a look at myself, do some journaling, some meditation, and practice being mindful of my thoughts.

The things you can do on your own, once you understand TMS theory and then go beyond it, are limitless, as far as I'm concerned.

 

Thank you Jan for your response! Very inspiring ! You ladies gave me hope.
Hugs!