I’ve had tmj for 10yrs, I shouldn’t have been listening to my self-proclaimed-expert dentist in Menlo Park for so long. Body alignment is a major factor she ignored. It took learning from a tmj dvd i bought, and a repeat visit to my doctor to get referred to a physical therapist: a tmj expert at kaiser I’m told. Dr. Hutkins didn’t mention this specialist!
Jennifer L.
Classificação do local: 5 Belmont, CA
For my 400th review, I wanted to write about something that had significance in my life. This qualifies. Last spring I had a TMJ(jaw pain) flare up the likes of which I hadn’t experienced before, despite it being a problem I’ve had for years. In desperation, I let my Kaiser docs know, having no idea that they could help me. The response I got was surprising — a referral to Redwood City Kaiser’s TMJ Specialist NP Laura Hutkins. Really? Kaiser has a TMJ Specialist? Why did I burn all that money seeing an expensive and useless TMJ dentist in Alameda when I could’ve gone to Kaiser for a $ 20 co-pay? Damn. I couldn’t get in right away, but I was ready. NP Hutkins knew her stuff, examined my jaw, took measurements, and did a thorough evaluation. She made some recommendations(some familiar, others new to me) for self-help for jaw pain: * Don’t chew gum or ice. * In some cases, go on a soft or semi-soft diet. * Wear sunglasses to prevent squinting of the facial muscles. * Continue with massage and alternate therapies. * Wear a bite guard that fits properly for pain management. * Take breaks during dental exams & procedures to rest jaw and prevent trismus(tonic contraction of the muscles of mastication). * Never use a bite block during a dental procedure. * Join * Avoid chewy foods, crusty bread, tough meat, and crunchy raw vegetables. In fact, she advised me not to put anything big and hard in my mouth — the worst being raw carrots. And I can forget taking up the flute or becoming an opera singer. Yeah, I know that’s what you were thinking. Outcome: + NP Hutkins referred me to an orthodontist in San Francisco who made me a bite guard — and Kaiser paid for it. Amazing. + I asked for a referral to a particular TMJ Physical Therapist(PT) in San Mateo. She wasn’t able to refer me to PT outside of Kaiser, but she referred me to a PT within Kaiser who has experience with TMJ. I never would’ve expected this of Kaiser. It just goes to show, it’s worth asking for what you want. Sometimes you get it.
