The young TMD patient Elif * (name changed) suffered from severe jaw pain for a long time. Loud cracking noises and restricted movement when opening the mouth made everyday life increasingly difficult. The treatment of the TMD specialist Dr. Amir Sayfadini has improved this in a very short time, thanks to a custom-made splint. In the interview, she talks about her personal experiences and why she would recommend therapy from an expert for Temporomandibular Disorder to others.

How did you find out about your suffering?

I've had this extreme jaw cracking for many years since I started wearing braces. The pain was extremely bad and I had only a limited possibility to open my mouth. My orthodontist has never alerted me that this is a fixable problem. He said that some people are just having it. Then I was regularly with my dentist and she noticed it very strongly. She sent me to Dr. Amir Sayfadini, pointed him out as an expert in the field of jaw complaints and recommended treatment at his TMD-Center. My previous dentists or my former orthodontist simply couldn't help me with the symptoms and I wonder how it is possible that many doctors are not informed about this at all and that it took so many years before someone gave me the advice to see a specialist. With all this ignorance, my symptoms have gotten worse and worse. I wish I had known about the TMD-Center earlier. I just never heard of TMD before, as so many others did not as well.

How was the first treatment for you?

I hadn't rated my problem as serious. But when I was in the Dr. Amir TMD-Center where I got the diagnosis, it was a shock for me. Especially when he informed me that with my strong level of TMD, a brace is the last alternative before an operation. Only then did I realize how bad the whole thing really is. Also thanks to the direct and honest nature of Dr. Amir Sayfadini, who simply says how it is. I needed someone who knew what to do and who finally showed me a solution. I immediately felt that I was in good hands with him and his friendly team.

So surgery was never an alternative for you?

Not at the moment, no. Just like the doctor, I am very satisfied with how the long-term wearing of the braces has already affected me. Of course, you have to see how it goes on so that the cracking doesn't come back as soon as I no longer wear the splint. But only time will tell. I'm very happy with it at the moment.

How does wearing the splint feel for you?

When I started using the splint, it was a little strange at first. But after I got used to it a few days on, it was no longer a problem. Sure, it's still a foreign object, but it really is totally fine. The brace has definitely helped me in a short time and the jaw cracking has disappeared. My everyday life and especially my phases of sleep are much more pleasant now. Since the jaw area tends to loosen up at night, it used to always mean that in the morning after getting up the jaw joints were hooked together and everything was tense. It was so painful at some points that I couldn't even bite my breakfast roll. The brace has already brought me great added value. I don't have any problems with that anymore and I can open my mouth normally again, without restrictions or pain.

Would you recommend the brace to people who are going through the same suffering as you?

Yes, absolutely! For example, two fellow students of mine are having the same complaints. Both were initially unfamiliar with the splint method and did not know anything about it. Their doctors have relied on physiotherapy and jaw massages, but that's not really a long-term solution for the problem. Treatment recommendations always depend on the doctor and his personal conviction, but I can highly recommend Dr. Amir Sayfadini's therapeutic approaches. TMD complaints are simply not uncommon. So many people have it. But those affected often simply don't know where to go with their problematic symptoms. Doctors and orthopedic surgeons have to be made more aware that there are real experts out there, specifically in this field and that those affected actually have a point of contact in the Dr. Amir TMD-Center. Because you simply do not wish anyone such a path of suffering. I am glad that someone could really help me.

On the advice of her physiotherapist, patient Sandra* visited the Dr. Amir CMD-Centrum. In the patient interview, she reports on her symptoms and complaints and how she received an individual dental splint from Dr. Amir Sayfadini, which helped her to gain a new quality of life. Sandra* also feels in good hands at the Dr. Amir CMD-Centrum and is appreciating the trustful interaction with one another.

How did you become aware of your symptoms?

I felt dizzy for two and a half years and visited different doctors, but nobody could really help me. I tormented myself with it the whole time and only by chance found out about Dr. Amir. A friend of his, who is a physiotherapist, advised me to contact him.

Has your physiotherapist treated you for CMD at that point?

No, we rather looked for tension in the neck area. But I've also been to other doctors. I had MRIs done on my head and spine. In the end, however, I was told that I certainly had psychological problems that triggered the whole thing. I didn't believe that, but I had no other solution at the time. I just didn't have any active pain in the jaw area, but rather tension in the neck, so I couldn't figure it out.

So at first something completely different was diagnosed?

Well, actually nothing was diagnosed. Since the symptoms weren't directly related to the pain in the jaw, we didn't even come across this point.

Did your physiotherapist sent you directly to the Dr. Amir CMD-Centrum or have you been to other dentists before?

No, I haven't been to any other dentists. The physiotherapist said I should contact Dr. Amir in particular. Then I visited his private clinic at the INI, the CMD-Centrum at the International Neuroscience Institute in Hanover. But I didn't think at the time that this would help me with my problems.

So that treatment was the only alternative for you at the time and there were no other options?

Exactly, because I was searching for the right treatment for two and a half years already. I even took a cure in a vertigo clinic and nothing has improved there either.

In which situations did you notice your symptoms the most?

The vertigo nonstop, day and night. It wasn't as if I felt like I was on a carousel, but it was like being on the high seas. Two and a half years straight, it didn't stop, it was always there.

How was your first treatment with Dr. Amir?

When I met him, he gave me a feeling of trust right away with his explanations. And I also met a patient in the waiting room who told me that she had exactly the same symptoms, but for five years and they are gone now. Mine would disappear as well, I should believe in it.

Dr. Amir then measured everything and scanned it manually. He found out that there was indeed something wrong. I had tension, gnashed my teeth at night and with regard to dizziness, the ear with the sense of balance is not far away from the jaw. That's why a dental splint was made for me which I wore at night, but also sometimes during the day. I noticed that the dental splint really does relax my jaw. Before, I hadn't noticed any tension at all, because everything was somehow normal for me.

What kind of dental splint was it that Dr. Amir made for you?

It was a loose dental splint for the upper and lower jaw in one piece. I couldn't talk very well with it, of course, but I slept with it every night. One day I woke up and wondered if something was missing. Something was different. Then I realized that the dizziness was completely gone. Of course, I was scared if I was too happy that it will return. But I can really report that it hasn't been the way it used to be since then.

In the meantime, did the symptoms reappear for a short time at some point?

Well, with great tension, little sleep or emotional stress, yes sometimes. Or when you drink a little alcohol, for example, the body reacts naturally in the areas where you are sensitive.

Does wearing the dental splint feel uncomfortable for you?

No. At first, it was strange and there were marks on the inside of the cheeks in my mouth. But I've gotten so used to it that I can't sleep without the dental splint anymore.

Were there any other possible therapy alternatives in your case?

No, we came straight to the dental splint, as it causes my jaw to be pulled a little forward at the bottom and this relieves the pressure on the jaw joint. That was suitable for me. Of course I know that there are different options for other patients to treat it in a different way, but Dr. Amir got it right to the point in my case and I really feel that I'm in good hands. Also every time I come to the inspection, I can talk to him about anything, no matter what. That's why his recommendation was spot on.

Have you been only treated for the obvious functional disorders or did you also talk to Dr. Amir in more detail about the background and your path of suffering?

The dizziness that lasted two and a half years and the strain that went with it also did something to my psyche. I was able to talk to him about this very pleasantly. Dr. Amir took my worries away and was very understanding, I trust him completely. He really cares about the patients and their stories. That also contributes a bit to the recovery.

Are there certain areas and situations in which the splint therapy has particularly helped you?

Yes, because the splint also realigns my body. When the jaw fits, the vertebrae are less loaded and pressured. Everything is no longer tense. I have better posture now, I hardly have any headaches, hardly any neck problems, no more knee problems. Because if the body is not in tune with itself and is not in a straight position, then one also has complaints in other joints and areas. Even if these are perhaps further down in the body, the causes can still come from above.

Do you know any other potential patients who are suffering in the way you were?

I know quite a few and have already made recommendations to friends and acquaintances. But there are also people who shy away from it, also in regard of the possible costs. They haven't had a proper conversation about therapie options and are rather trying other dental splints first. For example these bite splints that you get from the dentist at health insurance costs. But they just prevent the teeth from rubbing off and have no effect on changing the jaw position.

What were you most happy about during the successful therapy?

I actually noticed more that I felt happy and liberated all day long. The dizziness was just gone. And of course, I was also very happy that I no longer had to be told that I was mentally ill and that this caused these complaints. Now there really was something that could be proven and which could actually be treated.

The story of Sarah* shows how important the right splint therapy is in the treatment of TMD. The young patient suffered for a long time from various complaints, which could be counteracted repeatedly for a short time, but not in the long term. But thanks to a suitable Bionator, Sarah* is now living almost symptom-free. Above all, she was able to enjoy a very special day in her life without any problems.

How did you become aware of your symptoms? How did it start?

The story has actually been going on for ages. I always had back pain, headaches, dizziness and thought it all came from my back, because this problem is also common in the family. I first went to physiotherapy because my family doctor prescribed me massages. As a result, things got better for a short time, but not permanently. That's why I went to an orthopedic surgeon who tried various things such as atlas therapy. But after the fourth or fifth treatment I stopped doing it, it just made no sense. I had to sit down, he gave me what he called an "impulse" and after two or three hours the effect was just gone again. I didn't notice any real improvement. And even he noticed that himself after just a short time. He said my body keeps shifting so the relief just doesn't last long. So that was a private service where the costs didn't pay off for me. But at least I now knew that my problems must have another cause. Somewhere along the way, the orthopedist even mentioned TMD.

So I kept searching and compared my symptoms with those of typical TMD cases. And there were indeed similarities: noises in the ears, tinnitus, visual disturbances, headaches, dizziness and also altered vision, so that I sometimes thought that everything was great in the morning and a total catastrophe in the afternoon. Even with the glasses it hasn't necessarily gotten better.

At that time, thanks to the referrals from my family doctor, I was able to visit a lot of different specialists. I've been to the rheumatologist, the cardiologist, the pulmonologist. Everything was causing problems somehow, but nobody knew where it really came from. No causes have been found for the back pain, my breathing problems or the racing heart. It was only through a very simple test with the stimulation of my masticatory muscles that it was determined that something was wrong with my jaw. The whole body has been affected by this. It was only from then on that I actually started to be properly treated.

After this diagnosis, how did you came across the Dr. Amir TMD-Center?

At first, I was treated by another TMD specialist. I was given bite splints to relieve the strain as my molars were not in contact. My front teeth always hit each other when chewing, which in turn led to the headache. I felt that I was in good hands there, but somehow there was not really any progress. I had the feeling that I just got a new piece of plastic in my mouth every now and then and that was it. After eating, which I always had to devour, I had the most problems and pain. But during eating I obviously couldn't wear the bite splints. When I asked what could be a permanent solution, the doctor suggested a tooth attachment. It would be similar to the plastic rail, only that it would stay on it permanently and would no longer be easy to take out. That was too risky for me. That's why I wanted to get a second opinion and was searching for another TMD expert in my area. The range of CMD experts is very limited, but then I found the Dr. Amir TMD-Center.

How did the treatment start?

Since I had so many complaints, Dr. Amir first of all made sure and rule out other possible causes. I had to do a head MRI so that the jaw could be identified as the cause of the problem. And then everything went surprisingly quickly with the right dental splint. This simple therapy can achieve astonishingly great success. I really wouldn't have thought that, but I experienced it myself! In the end, I only slept with the Bionator in my mouth every night. In the beginning it was strange, but it took maybe 2 or 3 days, then it worked out just fine for me. I should wear the Bionator every week, either only at night or at night plus 1 to 2 hours during the day. Meanwhile I noticed the differences: In the week when I was using the Bionator for relief from time to time, it helped a lot. In the week after, when I was supposed to withstand, I had a bit of tension and discomfort. But that has leveled off again very well and now I no longer need the Bionator during the day and only wear it at night.

So you are symptom-free with the new dental splint?

Yes, I guess you can say so. When eating, it is sometimes the case that the front teeth rub against each other a little bit. That will probably never change. But those major problems from before like headaches or ringing in the ears have gotten a lot better. Unfortunately, it's not completely gone at the moment, but it's really a huge relief compared to what I was used to before the dental splint.

What are you most excited about now that you have been successfully treated?

I actually had a specific goal that I was most excited about. First of all, I have to say that I still used the other dental splints from the previous doctor from time to time - even during the switch to the Bionator from Dr. Amir. Somehow, I just felt more secure with it at first and had the feeling that I might still need them. With the successful conversion to the Bionator, I needed the old ones less and less. My goal was not to have to think 24/7 about whether I would get dizzy without wearing them. And it was just great! Especially when it came to my wedding day, I was able to enjoy it to the fullest. Even until late at night, when I usually couldn't avoid putting them in. But now it was perfect, no pain and no splints. That was my goal and it worked. That's why I'm just super happy!

From one day to another, Sabrina* (name changed) just couldn't open her mouth anymore. On good days, she was only able to open it 2 centimeters under a lot of pain. Talking, yawning, eating – non of it was possible as usual anymore. An MRI showed that the intervertebral disc had slipped between the joints of the upper and lower jaw. This displacement of the disc resulted in the severe restriction of movement. But there was no obvious trigger for it. A year and a half went by until Sabrina* became aware of the Dr. Amir CMD-Center. In an interview on the day after her first treatment, she reports on the symptoms with which she entered the practice and how her limited life quality changed completely within a few hours.

How did your jaw problems come up and how did you come across the Dr. Amir CMD Center?

It started in such a way that suddenly I couldn't open my mouth anymore. It just happened from one day to another. I only got it open at a maximum of 2 centimeters. At first, I thought I might have caught an infection or something and that it would go away on its own. But taht was not the case. I consulted my best friend, a dentist. She then referred me to a colleague who specializes in jaw disfunctions. She suggested that the intervertebral disc in the temporomandibular joint might have slipped. She then made a dental splint for me, but unfortunately that didn't help at all. A detailed anamnesis was then taken with another orthodontist, but there also was no therapeutic success. In another maxillofacial surgery practice, an MRI has finally been taken after months of waiting. By then, I had been walking through life for a year and a half with these symptoms and a two-centimeter mouth gap. I couldn't yawn or eat properly. It really didn't look well. The MRI findings confirmed the speculation that the disc had slipped. I actually had an appointment for the medical meeting afterwards, but the doctor called me beforehand and said I didn't have to come by because she couldn't do anything anyway. So I really saw myself struggling with that little mouth gap for the rest of my life. You then ask yourself about all the side effects that will come up with it. What if I had to be intubated at some point? That would not even work. So I kept asking if there is anything anyone could do? Something has to happen, this could not be the final situation! And so I was sent to the Dr. Amir CMD-Center, where I got an appointment right away. After all the waiting for the MRI, I did not expect that to happen so quickly. To my first treatment, I came with a two centimeter mouth gap and went out the same day with a four centimeter mouth gap. I came home and we were all completely stunned. My husband couldn't believe it either - unbelievable!

How was your first session at the Dr. Amir CMD-Center?

First of all, Dr. Amir told me right away that he can handle it. Of course I shed a few tears there. It was so nice to hear that someone was feeling confident and positive about helping me, especially after all the rejection that I had to experience beforehand. Nobody ever told me before that we will work it somehow.
Before the treatment took place, I was given a painkiller because my mouth was opened manually. Of course that was painful, but because I had to live with pain the whole time, it was more of a relative pain experience. I got a small wedge pushed between the joints, which had to stay in there throughout the day. At night I was allowed to take it out, which is why Dr. Amir already warned me in advance that my mouth gap could temporarily decrease again. Fortunately, that did not happen and there has been no deterioration so far.

How will your treatment go on?

I will get two dental splints now. First, one for the transition phase and then a long-term one. Dr. Amir told me quite openly and honestly that the next three months could be difficult and that regression cannot be ruled out. Although that is relative as well, because at least I can open my mouth which was not possible before. Today, the day after my first treatment, I am of course still a bit limited with slight pain. For example when I try to push my teeth forward. But I would not have thought that such a big change would be possible within only one day.

What are you most looking forward to now?

Most of all I am really looking forward to beeing able to yawn again. All the movements that you normally don't think about. You yawn rather unconsciously and whenever it came over me like that, the pain ran through me particularly strongly and I had to try to suppress this urge somehow. It was really hard. And I'm also looking forward to eating, where maybe a little more will fit on the fork that ends up in my mouth. I'm looking forward to everything that should actually be daily business and now hopefully will be again.

The causes of complaints about TMD and the jaw can be as diverse as the patients themselves. For example, hereditary diseases can trigger abnormalities in the chewing apparatus. This is also the case with patient Linda* (name changed), who has suffered from scoliosis since puberty. At first it was not recognized that her problems with the spine also have an impact on her jaw problems. Only an individual special night splint from the Dr. Amir TMD-Center was able to resolve her complaints. In this patient interview, Melina* talks about the connections between her clinical pictures and how she goes through everyday life happily and symptom-free today.

How did you find out that your health issues were related to TMD?

There is an inheritance story with scoliosis in our family. It occurred in puberty when I grew up very quickly. Since then, this disease has had an impact on my jaw position. This was also supported by an existing cross bite. At that time my dentist did not pay close attention to my tooth position, which is why I did not know the cause for a long time. He also made a splint for me, but it was more against the usual grinding of teeth and did not help. My symptoms got worse. It was only when my sister then sent me to the TMD-Center that I became aware of it. She is also a patient of Dr. Amir and very pleased with him. Since we are quite similar, she also has a curvature of the spine and we have the same symptoms. Dr. Amir helped me quickly with a special splint.

How was your first treatment at the TMD-Center?

At first, I was totally afraid that it would result in an operation. But then Dr. Amir took that thought straight away and said that we could do it all with one special splint. I was told what exactly I was suffering from and what the further course of treatment will look like. Then, some examinations were done, such as x-rays, which he used to explain to me how we can fix my symptoms. Then tooth prints were made and then it was all done pretty quickly.

How do you wear the splint and how was the feeling at first?

I currently have to wear my dental splint every night. In the beginning, I took it out in the middle of the night and put it on the bedside table because the feeling was unfamiliar. In retrospect, that was not a good idea. But after a few days I quickly got used to it and everything went smoothly from there. The dental splint is now part of my everyday life. We are really creatures of habit.

Is wearing the splint a long-term solution or will there be further therapeutic steps?

It looks like we can shorten the days at some point. Then I would no longer have to wear the splint every day. Perhaps I will soon even no longer need it and will be free of TMD issues. And if I still have to wear it for a long time, that would be fine as well. As long as it helps, it does not bother me. I already have no pain during the day and am really happy about it.

The story of Marie* (name changed) shows once again that TMD is not just a matter of the jaw, but can also have a major impact on other parts of the body. For a long time she suffered from the typical cracking of the jaw and disorders in the chewing apparatus, but also from knee problems and severe neck pain. In the patient interview, Marie* tells about her symptoms and how a dental splint from the Dr. Amir TMD-Center is helping her.

When and how did your suffering begin?

At first, my complaints did not start in the jaw, but in the knee while jogging. I used to be able to run long distances, but all of a sudden I started having pain on the left side of my knee at ever shorter intervals. In addition to this, I also had severe tension in the neck, which could only be relieved by strength training. I never attributed that to the jaw. At my dentist, however, I mentioned another symptom, namely that my jaw is cracking. I already had that when I was a child, when I yawned and suddenly couldn't close my mouth anymore. I then squeezed it together with all my might and since then I've lived with the cracking noises.

We then took x-rays at the dentist's. Thereby TMD was diagnosed and we also got to talk about my knee pain. Before that, the causes were not recognized by anyone, not even the orthopedic surgeon. We started with a dental splint therapy, but it all seemed to me a bit strange there. First I got the wrong splint for the lower jaw, then another one for the upper jaw and then I had to come to the practice every other week to grind the splint without any noticeable results.

At some point I was sitting at the airport shortly before my vacation and could no longer chew my bread. My jaw muscles were just too exhausted. Actually from then on I could only spoon soup. That's why I did some research on the Internet and found an article about the Dr. Amir TMD-Center.

How was your first treatment at the TMD-Center?

Firstly, a very comprehensive analysis was made. Then I was given electrical stimulation therapy, during which I received light electric shocks in the neck area. This served to loosen everything up a bit. Then a new dental splint was made for me, which showed success in a short time, even if I had something like sore muscles in my jaw for the first two weeks. It was initially only intended to be worn at night, but at some point I have also worn it to work. Currently I only use it at night again. I Only go without it, when I have a strong cough or runny nose.

How is your further treatment planned in the future?

Since the neck pain has not yet completely gone, I was told to also try additional physiotherapy. If that doesn't work, I might get another splint model. But it is important that I continue to train my neck muscles specifically so that the measures do not only help temporarily. That's why I now do intensive neck training for a month every six months.

How is your everyday life with TMD today?

It has gotten a lot better since the dental splint. I can go jogging again without knee pain due to TMD. And I can finally eat solid things again and chew properly. The splint definitely helped me a lot.

For a year and a half, Marion* has been in treatment at the Dr. Amir CMD-Centrum. A good time to reflect on how her everyday life has changed since wearing an individual splint.

I had tension headaches and bilateral tinnitus for 10 years. That's why I've already lived through a whole doctor odyssey. I was in a pain clinic, visited a neurologist, I did everything you could imagine. Among other things, I went to a dentist who measured my jaw and said that everything was okay. But the pain was still there, especially the cracking sounds in the morning. For example, I suffered in situations like eating and sometimes noticed severe mobility restrictions in the chewing apparatus. I couldn't open and close my mouth properly without the help of my hands. In addition, I noticed, especially in the evening, that I crunch a lot. My dentist back then made a normal dental splint for me. But I didn't notice any real improvement. It actually got even worse, so that I made even louder cracking noises when I wanted to open or close my jaw. My sister then who knows Dr. Amir, told him what's going on with me. He told me to visit him immediately. Until then, the terms CMD, TMD oder TMJD were completely unknown to me.

I have been in treatment at the CMD Center for a year and a half now and have a new individual dental splint that I wear at home at night or occasionally during the day. I notice that the cracking is actually completely gone now. It doesn't bother me at all anymore. Only when I recently got dental crowns and had to keep my jaw open for a long time, the pain came back. The jaw had to find its position again when I wanted to close it. That's why I'm now getting a new dental splint that will match with the crowns. Apart from this little setback on the dental chair, the splint is just great and I'm very happy to have it!

Patient Susanne * was in such severe pain that she could no longer bear it and went to the hospital. No doctor could explain her complaints. On the advice of her daughter, she took another attempt at the Dr. Amir CMD-Centrum and is now almost painless thanks to a dental splint.

How did you become aware of CMD and how did that affect you?

My daughter was a TMD patient before me. With her, the clinical picture is very pronounced and brought headaches, mental disorders and problems with the spine with it. She could literally unhook her jaw herself. For a long time she looked in vain for help, and she received protective splints from the dentist, but that didn't affect the jaw. Then she saw a television report about Dr. Amir and made an appointment directly. She got a professional dental splint which helped her a lot and everything has gotten much better since then.

Last year, I myself had a lot of teeth pulled out because of a root inflammation. Because of a wound healing disorder, I even had to have two operations. Followed by jaw problems with severe pain. I went from dentist to dentist and from oral surgeon to oral surgeon - no one could really help me. A CT-scan was done and it was found that I had osteoarthritis. But I had that for a long time and it was no explanation for my acute pain. The doctors saw more of a connection with my nerves and continued testing for it. But there was never any real clarification. In retrospect, I believe that a lot of factors came together for me back then: my dental problems, the surgery, a cortisone withdrawal due to a chronic illness - that was all a little bit too much at once.

I was in pain 24/7, day and night, no matter what I did. Actually, I could only lie down, but no longer sleep properly. There was absolutely nothing I could do. Because I couldn't stand the pain anymore, I went to the hospital for a week. There I was put on meds, which in turn damaged my intestines. My daughter then had the idea that I should ask Dr. Amir for advice because he was so good at helping her. And so I went to the Dr. Amir CMD-Centrum myself.

How did your treatment in the CMD-Centrum go?

I told Dr. Amir everything I went through and presented him with the reports on the CTs. He assured me it wasn't anything dramatic, even if it felt like it to me. At my first meeting, he told me that I would soon no longer need to take pills. He made a dental splint for me and two days later everything was ready. It was really quick! At first I was skeptical, but wearing my dental splint made everything more relaxed. I wore it at night and mostly during the day and was gradually able to notice how the tension and pain became less and less. I didn't notice any more of the problems with the teeth and inflammation of the roots, as the dental splint took the strain off me well. I was able to keep reducing my pain medication. It's still a bit of a headache, which is why I currently still take a pill in the evening, but hopefully I will soon be able to deal without it completely.

How do you cope with the dental splint in everyday life today?

Very well! From the start it was as if my dental splint belonged to me. It's not uncomfortable at all. Now I actually only wear it at night or when I watch TV. It just relaxes me. However, I also notice it when I don't waer it at night, because then slight pain occurs again. But as soon as I put it back in, the pain disappears again after a short time.

Where is your new quality of life most noticeable?
 

Before my TMD treatment, I simply had no quality of life anymore. But thanks to the dental splint I am now as good as pain-free, I no longer need tons of medication and can now really speak of quality of life again. I can definitely recommend the splint therapy. It has helped me and my daughter a lot.

At our Dr. Amir TMD-Center, we experience the long paths of suffering behind our patients every day. However, one story touched us in particular and at the same time deeply shook us. Katrin* (name changed) is in her mid-50s today and had to go through almost all medical wards that you can only imagine on her way to the TMD diagnosis. From numerous MRIs over spinal surgery to alternative Chiro methods, she had it all. Her path finally led her to the Dr. Amir TMD-Center, where she told us about her very personal story in a patient interview after her first session.

The fact that I am sitting in this TMD-Center today has an extremely long history behind it. I moved from Lower Saxony to North Rhine-Westphalia over 30 years ago as a young woman to care for my mother with multiple sclerosis. As an only child, I was on my own with the situation and had to tackle more and more physically over time, but also put up with mental problems. It was not only my mother's life that suffered from MS, but my own as well. As a result of the strain, I noticed more and more pain at some point, which initially took place in the cervical spine area. With my neck pain and shoulder problems, I of course first turned to an orthopedic surgeon. But after years of physiotherapy, acupuncture and electro-stimulation treatment, everyone simply just ran out of ideas. We did not know what to do next and after a few MRI examinations, the orthopedic surgeon introduced me to a neurosurgeon.

At some point, the day X occured when I was just screaming in pain. Apparently there was an incident in my cervical spine, which is why the neurosurgeon initiated an operation. In summer 2013 an artificial joint was inserted from the front between the cervical vertebrae C6 and C7. This was relatively quick and painless, but of course you still had to deal with such burdensome paperwork as in the case of paraplegia.
After a few weeks of regeneration, the pain suddenly returned. By inserting the joint, something has probably shifted upwards. Another operation was necessary in which a spacer was inserted between vertebrae C4 and C5. I actually felt pretty good afterwards, but months later I suddenly had to deal with the first dizziness. At the beginning of 2015, my doctor said that this could simply have something to do with the menopause – so the issue was closed.

In May 2015 there was an evening that I will never forget. I was laying on the couch and suddenly got an excruciating hearing loss with loud beeps and noises in my ears. After the visit to the otolaryngologist, the acute beeping was gone, but the noise remained and the wobbling dizziness and visual disturbances were added permanently. At the time, I did not know that all of these were symptoms of TMD and apparently neither did the doctors. From then on, I went from specialist to specialist. I was examined for everything: from centrifuge tests for possible causes in the ear to an examination for a brain tumor. When no cause was found, I was even allowed to listen to something from my long-time orthopedist, according to the motto, if I just wanted to “have some days off” for a while. The same from my general practicioner, who wanted to prescribe me psychotropic drugs, because among other things he saw my mother's voluntary demise caused by MS as a trigger for me. At that point, I got really angry. Over the years I have encountered so much misunderstanding among a number of medical professionals that it could drive one to despair. But I insisted that there has to be a physical explanation and I never gave up. To date, I have not taken a single pill of psychiatric medication and I have no plans to ever do so.

After I switched all doctors again in 2017, I was already receiving payment from the health insurance and I even saw my existence threatened in the long term by the health issues. Then, a physiotherapist finally gave me a helpful tip: she sensed that something was wrong with the jaw and sent me to an orthodontist. I also told her that I had fewer symptoms during periods of rest, when I keep my head still while lying down and not chew or speak. Because when I speak, my jaw always cracks. She then put me in the MRI again, this time for the TMJ and it turned out to be a disc shift on the left TMJ. I then got a first brace so that I could not clench my teeth at night. At that point, the first doctors who really wanted to help me noticed that something was wrong just by looking on my pupils. I ended up going to a former orthopedic surgeon who is now specialized in alternative American chiropractic. He knew and believed all of these symptoms. He was able to adjust my head joints gently, unlike the "bone breakers" I visited earlier, and for the first time, I felt relief. Unfortunately, the effect was short-lived and despite a new splint and constant adjustments, the long-term symptoms persisted.

At the end of 2018, I moved back to Lower Saxony, where another physiotherapist who specializes in cervical spine and TMD issues also pointed out the misalignment of my jaw and the totally hardened muscles. Muscular hardening has an impact on the minimal supply of nerves to the brain and this pressure would also cause dizziness and visual disturbances. It's amazing how everything in the body is somehow related to each other. I would also not rule out that my three knee surgeries on the meniscus were also caused by the jaw problems. If there is a serious shift in the jaw or cervical spine, something has to shift in the surrounding regions as well.

The physiotherapist then referred me to another dentist with a focus on TMD here in the Lower Saxony region. He was the first to determine the bite, which was probably too deep, through detailed measurement. My earlier dentures could be a cause for this, with the continuous replacement of which perhaps the different heights of the dentures, which only one dentist made over decades, was never properly taken into account. I received another JIG splint where you could only bite on the front. However, that didn't help me at all, but rather made things worse after just a few days. The problem is that the jaw is in a completely different position when lying down than when standing up or sitting straight and everything almost falls backwards. Just because I try on a splint while sitting at the dentist does not mean that the splint behaves similarly when lying down at night. So after this attempt also failed, my dentist finally sent me to the Dr. Amir TMD-Center. Now, after my first appointment, I got an individual splint made taking into account my history of suffering, which already shows the first small positive changes after a few days of wearing it. It is almost a small sensation for me after over 5 years and I always knew that someday I would end up with the right doctor!

I had to live through so many stations of suffering along the way that I really fill up files. I have always stayed with it and have always found partially helpful doctors and physiotherapists. I believe that many patients who might not have this fighting spirit would have already given up. I had to learn to contradict a doctor at first. It is really frightening for me, for example, when I'm on the go in corresponding Facebook groups: So many fellow sufferers who seek help there are simply dismissed by their doctors with psychiatric drugs. I can only recommend everyone not to simply accept unsatisfactory diagnoses, but to keep looking, even if it may take years. It is terrible that many medical professionals do not have the courage to simply say: "I do not know what to do, but I would like to introduce you to my colleague". That they admit when they ran out of ideas, but there may be another expert in this specific area. That is my wish for the future.