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(poll) Facial Expressions and Smiling

Do you have problems with facial expression?

  • No, I have no issues with facial expression. I don't have TMJ

    Votes: 12 37.5%
  • Yes, I have issues with facial expression. I don't have TMJ

    Votes: 11 34.4%
  • No, I have no issues with facial expression. I DO have TMJ also

    Votes: 6 18.8%
  • Yes, I have issues with facial expression. I DO have TMJ also

    Votes: 3 9.4%

  • Total voters
    32

Strawberry

Senior Member
Messages
2,100
Location
Seattle, WA USA
I have a tough time with smiling and facial expressions. I have had severe TMJ issues for 35 years, but even when I was young and my jaw was in massive pain, I didn't have problems with smiling. Is this from the muscle fatigue of CFS? Or the fact that I have extremely damaged jaw joints?

Decided to make this a poll. I hope the choices are sufficient!
 

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,688
I have TMJ, which flares rarely, and is usually under control. The trouble I have with smiling has nothing to do with TMJ. In pictures I look like I'm trying to pass a kidney stone instead of smiling pleasantly. I'm the reason many pictures get thrown away. I smile a lot in real life, but loathe posed pictures.

But going back to TMJ, even when it flares once a year or so, it doesn't make it painful for me to smile.

Aside from getting my bite adjusted at my dentist's office, the thing that helped my TMJ the most is biofeedback. It only took me 2 sessions.

My dentist prescribes me 10 Valium a year. When my TMJ is flared, taking a Valium at night works great since it's an excellent muscle relaxer. Doing this for 3 nights in a row gets rid of the flare for me. Of course, no one wants a benzo dependency, so I only take it if I have a flare and never for more than 3 nights in a row.
 

me/cfs 27931

Guest
Messages
1,294
My lack of facial expression started decades after my ME/CFS onset. It began during a decade I was prescribed only stimulants and exercise.

Although I no longer take stimulants and have learned how to pace, the lack of facial expression remains. It has improved somewhat in the past 2 years, however.

At some point, I hope to give Mestinon a try,
 

valentinelynx

Senior Member
Messages
1,310
Location
Tucson
Bilateral Bell's palsy? Other cranial nerve problems? Possibly infection related? (e.g. herpes viruses or borellia infection).