You may have been startled awake by this. A painful clenched jaw.

A clenched jaw can be the result of a more serious chronic pain condition. Persistent or chronic clenched jaw can lead to teeth grinding and headaches. One of the most frustrating chronic pain issues is TMJ or temporomandibular joint disorder. The only thing worse than the clenched mouth is the jaw pain. To add insult to injury, this muscle spasming can eventually lead to migraines.

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial research reports over 10 million people suffer from TMJ in the US. While there are many conventional treatments for muscle pain including rest, NSAIDs, and massage, there is one new course of treatment that is gaining popularity. Neurotoxins such as botox and Xeomin.

Botox is most often associated with the reduced appearance of wrinkles. The effects of a treatment can last for 6-8 weeks. It has been approved for this use by the FDA since 1991. And new products have come to take its place such as Xeomin.

Xeomin is a great alternative to traditional courses of treatment for TMJ. Although this class of medicine, neurotoxins, has not been approved by the FDA to treat TMJ, there have been several clinical trials that have proven the drug’s efficacy.

These clinical trials have proven that Xeomin can reduce chronic TMJ pain for 6-8 weeks in most cases. Here’s what to expect during a Xeomin course of treatment.

What To Expect:

Neurotoxins such as Xeomin are injections performed by trained medical professionals in an outpatient setting. In most cases, two or three courses of injections are performed over several months.

Medical professionals inject the forehead, temple and the jaw with Xeomin. There may be some pain or redness at the site of the injection. There are typically few if any side effects from the injections.

There may be some lasting pain at the injection site. After a few days, most patients begin to feel the benefits of the treatment. And over the next several weeks, patients experience reduced jaw clenching and pain. Plus, the incidence of migraines is also greatly reduced.

What To Watch Out For:

While most patients feel relief within the first few days, there can be side effects from neurotoxins. Headache, nausea, flu like symptoms, respiratory infection, and eyelid droop are the most common common side effects. You should see your healthcare professional if any of these symptoms persist.

Cost:

Since neurotoxins are not approved by the FDA to treat TMJ or migraines, it may not be covered by insurance. At the same time, many insurance companies may cover Xeomin for therapeutic purposes. Check with your insurance company before considering neurotoxins as an option for treating chronic pain and TMJ.

Otherwise, a single round of treatment can run anywhere between $1000 – $2000. It may not be the least expensive treatment option. At the same time, it is one of the most effective because it targets the specific area. Where as an NSAID administers the medication throughout the body. Plus, there are the added benefits of Xeomin that may give you a more youthful appearance!

The Next Step:

Your certified pain management specialist is here to help. We are professionally trained to administer neurotoxins such as botox and Xeomin. Give us a call at 909 887 2991 to set an appointment. Let us relieve the pressure and relieve your TMJ pain. So you may get back to your normal pain-free life.

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