Dear Panicmercant...
Welcome back , and thank you for sharing...
I have TMJ and can relate to the pain you are struggling with...I initially went to my Dr. with severe ear pain and a grinding sound when I eat, yawn in my jaw..My Dr. told me to bite on a pencil gentle to help with it..although it didn’t do any good that I could feel..I done it for a few weeks...Now I just take pain relief when it flares up...Since arthritis has found my jaw as well..the pain can be fairly bad..but pain relief does help..I’m really sorry your struggling with this...
I am lucky as I have a very caring Dr. who is always there for me...She did say that Jaw replacement is very rare and not recommended..so I now just don’t think about it, that is until the pain flares up..the grinding noise is constant when I eat, so I concentrate on the flavours of what I’m eating and sometimes don’t hear or feel it....
I don’t have health anxiety...and I put my full trust in my Dr. never do I google my symptoms...I know my Dr went through university to become a Dr...and that’s all I need to know..googling different symptoms will always get many different ailments not even related to the correct diagnosis, which can cause much more anxiety about little aches and pains..which is unfortunately a part of life..
Dearest Panicmerchant..when you start to feel a little bit of discomfort..if you can that is the time to do something to distract your thoughts away from it...Do you have something that you like to do..listening to music, meditation, sitting outside and watching, listening, feeling the nature around you...jigsaws, internet games anything really to distract those annoying thoughts...living in the now and enjoying your life in the here and now..Our Grounding thread might help you to find something that works for you..thread title is ”Grounding What is it and how can we”...
Please look after yourself lovely Panicmerchant ..deep breathing concentrating and counting your in breath and out breath to help you relax...
Talk anytime you feel up to it..We are here for you..
Sending you my kindest thoughts with care lovely Panicmerchant..
Grandy..