TMJ thread

[Diop]

Dropping an update - It has been two weeks since I posted about my TMJ pain, and it has pretty much completely vanished. The first week was fairly painful, as any type of chewing caused significant discomfort on the right side of my jaw. I started to think this was going to be a long term problem as nothing seemed to be helpful (anti-inflammatory drugs, ice, heat, muscle relaxers, etc.). Gradually, the pain started to get weaker and weaker throughout this past week, and while I'm still being a bit careful about what I eat, how I chew, etc....it seems to be under control.

It was definitely my gum chewing that caused this. I grind my teeth (sometimes) when stressed, but I haven't had a piece of gum since this started and the pain finally went away. I'm probably going to get a mouth guard from Walgreen's to potentially wear at night as a precaution, but I'll definitely never regularly chew gum again.

Thank you to everyone for the helpful thoughts and advice earlier in the thread. I also have to echo SBR from the post above - while this was going on, I couldn't even fathom trying to eat something like nuts, seeds, or hard candy. Anything that required even a small amount of chewing force was extremely painful on my jaw as well as psychologically frustrating/scary. Hopefully this won't ever come back, as it sure sucks when it happens to you.

 

[Razor Beast]

Anyone have a jaw that occasionally clicks on one side with no or minimal pain (sometimes a headache that could be caused by the jaw clicking)? Is it possible to fix this? It seems like my jaw opens up faster on one side than the other (unevenly) if I try to fully open my jaw.

Thinking TMJ is the cause from getting impacted wisdom teeth removed a while ago but all doctors have told me is not to worry until it becomes painful. But I'd rather fix this before that happens.

 

[goodington]

Often when they remove wisdom teeth they crank open your jaw and cause damage. I'd try to seek out a dentist, osteopath or other practitioner who has expertise in TMJ issues or craniofascial pain in your area. Don't just let it fester as the joint can get worn down over time and lead to worse issues down the road.

 

[kbell]

I wish mine would just go away. At least the one guy didn't recommend beef jerky and taffy.

 

[redbeard]

 

[kbell]

Thanks for that redbeard. I will try resting the tongue on the palate during the day. The guy had an irritating way of talking with the breathing. But never heard that theory before. I always thought it was the temporalis muscles on the top of the head and masseter (cheeks) that were the problem, since that is where the pain tends to orginate. But the tongue not fitting in there right makes sense.

 

[Dan Handler]

Anybody have TMJ? Its basically where your cheek muscles clinch and you often grind your teeth. What do you do to reduce clenching pain? Anyway to stop ear popping? I'm seeing a doctor for it, but its not fully under control.

TMJ is caused by 4 factors:

1.) Consuming too much hard food like candy, nuts, pastries, and insufficiently tenderized meat which can strain the muscles and fascia of the jaw.

2.) Suddenly tilting the head upwards can also strain the muscles and fascia of the jaw and this movement is called whiplash.

3.) The teeth are misaligned which can lead to overbites, underbites, and crossbites, and this can be corrected using braces, which will restore the normal bite of the person so that the mandibular joints, muscles, and fascia do not become strained.

4.) The socket holding the jaw in place is too small which causes the joint to hit the socket when it moves because there is inadequate allowance for joint movement. This problem is genetic in origin and there is no way to widen the socket through surgery at the present time, though it is possible to replace the mandibular joints and sockets with prosthetics.

There is however, a surgical technique for realigning a misaligned jaw:

Source: https://uihc.org/health-topics/surgical-treatment-correct-bad-bite-frequently-asked-questions

Note: aside from surgery, minor jaw misalignments can be corrected through craniosacral therapy or condyle massage.

 

[kbell]

3 rd for me. And i only have contact on the back few.

 

[Henny101]

Vegetables, nuts, seeds, and candy for TMJ patients?

Dude, what the hell?

soft veggies will not be a problem, but nuts and candy? oh man, it's gonna make your clicking or jaw locking worse, I suggest to those who have clicking, sensitivity, pain, or locking. You should seek orthodontist to get it fixed.