Jaw trouble?!
Question: I've been putting up with my jaw locking and popping for a year or so now. This morning it locked very bad,and I couldn't open my mouth for a couple of mins.
I AM going to the Dr. on Thurs., I made that appt. a while ago.
Right now I have a headach that goes from my jawline to the top of my head,and it feels like I've been overusing it (it feels "tired")
I can't chew anything ,so today I've been eating yogert.
My question is, whay does it keep doing that? My dentist had thought it was from grinding my teeth, but I don't do that. I still ave wisdom teeth. I was also wondering if there is any relief besides Advil and rubbing it every so often.
Any ideas?
Answers: I've been putting up with my jaw locking and popping for a year or so now. This morning it locked very bad,and I couldn't open my mouth for a couple of mins.
I AM going to the Dr. on Thurs., I made that appt. a while ago.
Right now I have a headach that goes from my jawline to the top of my head,and it feels like I've been overusing it (it feels "tired")
I can't chew anything ,so today I've been eating yogert.
My question is, whay does it keep doing that? My dentist had thought it was from grinding my teeth, but I don't do that. I still ave wisdom teeth. I was also wondering if there is any relief besides Advil and rubbing it every so often.
Any ideas?
TMJ... is what it sounds like to me. Your doctor should be able to help you with it.. maybe a dentist actually. good luck!
Your doctor will be the best one to give information, especially since the appointment is 2 days away.
You may be grinding your teeth when you are asleep.
It does sound like you are grinding your teeth. This is called TMJ and even with wisdom teeth, you must be doing this at night. That would cause muscle spasms, headaches, jaw aches as you grind in your sleep. A device that fits in your mouth over the teeth that cushions your teeth is what I use. I also try to watch my caffeine intake, sugar intake, exercise, and not stress (if that is possible!). There are also homeopathic doctors who see a relationship with thyroid issues and TMJ. Regular medicine doesn't seem to find it but naturalpath doctors are all over it.
Relief tips: no caffeine, put hot packs on your jaw before going to bed to relax the muscles, take ibupropen or advil for pain, drink lots of water, relaxation breathing. Those are the suggestions I can give.
I hope you get to feeling better soon.
Your dentist is right. You grind your teeth while you sleep and it sounds like you have a poor bite as well and those two circumstances have been the main cause of your problem. A medical doctor will usually not treat this, but your dentist can if he knows what to look for. My suggestion would be to try asking the doctor you are going to see for a prescription for a muscle relaxant (flexeril 10mg) and take one every night before bed. If what I have said is true you should experience some relief in the mornings. You may require a CT scan of your TMJs to see what kind of damage has occured. This problem will only get worse if you ignore it. The reason many people grind their teeth while they sleep is because they are under stress or have too much on their mind. Try reducing the stress level in your life, take 600 mg ibuprofen four times a day and alternate between cold and warm compresses on the joint and muscles that hurt you. When you feel better, get back to the dentist to have him/her make you a splint or nightguard to wear during sleep. You may also have some success with an appliance called an NTI-tss. Talk to your dentist about it. More info about that at www.headachehope.com