Illness Experience of People with Chronic Pain Resulting from Temporomandibular Disorders

Abstract

This thesis discusses the illness experience of people living with chronic pain resulting from Temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The literature discusses various aspects of the experience of chronic pain, but there is little research reported specifically on the experience of living with TMD. Using analysis of sufferers' narratives, I discuss common explanatory models and coping strategies. I then present aspects of the bodily experience of TMD as seen in people with comorbid illnesses. The personal or mental aspects of TMD are explored, particularly in terms of fear, anxiety, and hope for the future. Lastly, the broader impacts of TMD are explored through sufferers' relationships with friends and family, and sufferers' ability to function in social contexts. It is concluded that TMD impacts many areas of sufferers' lives, and that the lived experience extends beyond diagnosis and treatment seeking to include the day to day management of TMD pain.