Talk to me about the TMJ

[ownedbyaconnie]

Me again with my pony's latest issue.

We've ticked off hock fusion, kissing spine surgery, coffin joint injection, ulcers and now this.

Physio saw her today and she's tight everywhere. Very very sore in her TMJ. I know a little about it as she used to headshake quite severely but whenever I've brought it up before with physios and vets they've said she's a little sore there but nothing dramatic. This physio has seen pony for over a year now and this is the first time it's come up but my yard owner is doing most of the ridden rehab now due to there not being enough daylight for me to do it around work, baby and exams so it's probably highlighted now because she is a far better rider than me and will actually be asking pony to work properly, rather than me bumbling along.

Physio wants my vet to take a look at her but vet is currently on her honeymoon and is a dear friend so I'm definitely not going to be interrupting her and will walk in hand till she's back next week.

So, after all that waffle, anyone had a horse with TMJ issues? What was the treatment? Anything that helped/hindered?

 

[Tiddlypom]

My wonky mare has mild ongoing issues with her TMJ joint, though interestingly she checked out fine at her most recent chiro vet check. Which might or might not be to do with the effect of her fancy Fenwicks Liquid Titanuim hood with ears.

I'll PM you a video of the chiro vet showing me a simple massage procedure to release tension in her masseter muscles, which can get tense if her TMJ is tender.

Good luck.

 

[daydreamer]

Not quite the same but my youngster used to have an issue with people touching his left ear. The rest of his body was fine and I have had him since he was six months old so I knew there was no reason for him to be “head shy”. I got an osteopath who specialises in cranial osteopathy out to treat him. She said his whole head was kind of scrunched up and wonky including issues with his tmj. The first treatment was mainly on his back. If I didn’t know a bit of masterson method I would have thought I was being ripped off as most of the time she just stood there with her fingers very lightly on his back. He only had 2 sessions and then was completely fine with his ear being touched. It was such a gentle treatment and didn’t really involve his head at all so might be worth looking into.

 

[sbloom]

From my limited experience with TMJ issues I'd say it's usually a secondary issue, and probably tension/crookedness/inappropriate angles in poll and neck when ridden (and that can mean just inappropriate for that particular horse at that particular stage of work), but it's not an area of expertise for me!

Only skimmed the first bit but this might help, and both Mary and Tami are good people to follow - https://www.facebook.com/equinebodw...Vq5TQU1TfGN7nZik4MrH5fip6MW83uZTtEmNCPthhoN7l and

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=225554908741671

, Mary's is a page so searchable sadly Tami's isn't.

 

[Tiddlypom]

^^^^ agree that the TMJ may be a secondary issue. My wonky mare did a major splat in the field in early lockdown which has left her right hip 3" lower than her left. The vets have scanned her, but don't know precisely what she has done, except that it is 'big'.

Remarkably, after Arthramid jabs in both hocks and steroid in both SI joints over 2 years ago she is pain free and ok for light ridden work. Any tension from her wonkiness seems to come out in her TMJ. She sees the chiro vet 3 or 4 times a year who releases any tension that may have built up, but for such a wonky mare (the wonkiest horse on the chiro vet's books ?) she is very sound.