TMJ Case Study: Bill Medora

I am writing this testimonial to help those who are suffering from Myo facial pain dysfunction (MPD) and TMJ related pain.

For almost two years, I had chronic head, neck shoulder, back, ear, and facial pain.  In addition, I had developed an extremely dry and irritated sinus condition.  All of my symptoms started when I was doing my normal daily exercise one day in May of 2000.  I had no prior symptoms previously and I was a very healthy and active person who thoroughly enjoyed life.

While the pain was just short of being debilitating, it did adversely affect my family, work and social life.  I visited numerous doctors during this period, not one of which could offer a diagnosis of my problem and none of which offered any significant relief for my constant pain.

During this period I sought help for my pain from:

• Family Physician – 10 times
• 3 separate ENTs
• Osteopathic Cranial Pain Management Specialist
• 2 separate Chiropractors
• Arizona Spine Center
• Neurologist
• Mayo Clinic
• Musculoskeletal and Rehabilitation Specialist
• Physical Therapy
• Family Dentist
• Orthodontist Massage therapy
• TMJ doctor for a night guard

Around the middle of May, 2001, after a doctor at the Mayo clinic told me,
“There are things in life doctors can fix and there are things that we can’t and your problem we can’t, so you’ll just have to learn to live with it,” I began searching the internet for answers for my pain, since the general medical community had no answers for my condition. I found Dr. Nick Meyer listed on the internet, while searching for head, neck and facial pain symptoms.

I visited Dr. Meyer in May 2001 and was extremely pleased with how interested he was in my condition and in helping me. However, I had never heard of MPD or TMJ before, and to tell you the truth, I was very skeptical that a dentist could solve my pain, when the general medical community couldn’t.  I decided to postpone doing the test Dr. Meyer recommended, because I was a skeptic; what a mistake!

For the next 10 months, I spent over $17,000 of my own money on alternative treatments in search for a cure for my chronic pain.  During this period, while I had periods of relief from my symptoms, my chronic condition continued and I became depressed and close to being suicidal.  Then in March of 2002, out of sheer desperation, I went back to see Dr. Meyer for help.

Dr Meyer conducted approximately four hours of tests and diagnosed my condition as MPD.  After two weeks of treatment my pain had improved by 75% and I felt like a miracle had been performed! My family, friends and co-workers immediately saw a difference in me and how I felt. Within a month, I was able to do something I hadn’t done in close to two years; I went golfing! What a miraculous change in such a short period of time; six months ago I was contemplating not being able to live with the pain for the rest of my life, and now, I’m back to appreciating and enjoying life, thanks to Dr. Meyer.

I truly hope the tale of my journey will help others who are presently in pain like I was and who are skeptics because they are skeptics because they are not familiar with MPD/TMJ.  MPD and TMJ related pain is misdiagnosed by the general medical community and often not even acknowledged.  Dr. Meyer is not only an expert in TMJ/MPD, but he is also a person who cares.

Dr. Meyer, thank you for caring and thank you for allowing me to enjoy life again!

Bill Medora
Scottsdale Arizona