Temporo-Madibular Joint And yes, it sounds like that's what you've got, TMJ disorder. Must dash now, but if it persists after looking after it yourself, head to the dentist and have a night splint made.
Ren, I had TMJ late last year. My dentist diagnosed it. I put it down to stress from my m/c last Sep. I stopped eating anything really chewy, even my morning muesli. I made sure that I ate nice & slow, took really small bites (like a mouse would have taken larger bites) and I would never eat anything where I had to 'open wide' like an apple or a hamburger. It persisted for around a month and is now fine. I didn't have to have a splint or anything like that. It was really painful though so I sympathise, I could have sworn I needed root canal or something it was that painful.
Oh - I also bought a new pillow too, one of those fancy ergonomic type ones. That seemed to help too.
For me it was a one off - I had never had it before and I haven't had it since.
Ren, if you look after it for a bit it should settle down easily. Usually TMJD is caused by clenching and grinding (in your sleep usually) which in turn is caused by stress! It is very, very common, I can't tell you how many people I see walk in the door at work with TMJ problems. Usually it's easily resolved, but if not a night splint can work wonders. I used to have one a few years ago, and it was great. It also stops you from wearing away your teeth too much, if you're grinding alot.
Eating soft foods, NO opening and closing to see if it still hurts and using ice/heat packs will help. If it feels a bit out of alignment, there's probably some inflammation in the joint which can make everything feel out a balance, particularly when you bite together.
I hope it goes away soon, but if you're still really struggling in a week or so, then head off to the dentist. Good luck
Thank you girls you have been really helpful! DH and i worked out that I must have this TMJ caused by me biting the inside of my mouth in my sleep!! I do it during the day too and i don't even know i'm doing it.... so yeah my jaw must have had enough and now i've brought this on!
DH was ready to take me to the hospital last night because he came home from work and i was crying (probably hormones too ) and he was really worried!
I didn't want to go though because i was worried they'd want to give me an xray and i don't want that because i'm pregnant...want to avoid all that. So we didn't go.
It seems a tiny bit better today probably because i'm not opening/closing wide and aggravating it further like yesterday!
Been eating small things and avoiding big mouthfuls..... also been applying my wheat heat pack that seemed to help.
DH thought it could have been my ear causing an infection perhaps cos' it's all related so he (he's a registered nurse by the way) flushed out my ear with a syringe with warm water and got some 'yellow cheese' out gross but that wasn't the problem in the end anyway but i got a good clean out..... haha!!
I'm sorry it's so sore for you hun! Unless you are worried that it's something else, I'd skip the hospital. Drs in general have no idea about dental stuff, and so you'd probably wait around for ages to be told nothing much LOL. If you do have to go to hossy though, don't worry about what they may/may not do. If it's not safe for you to have an xray, they won't do it. But they will always take precautions if it really is necessary to have an xray, and it's usually safe to do so.
Yeah, your DH is right, it is all related, and oh-so-close in there, so your ear infection will certainly make things feel alot worse around your TMJ. Glad he gave your ear a good clean out though LOL!
Keep us updated hun Hope it continues to get better.
And yes, it sounds like that's what you've got, TMJ disorder. Must dash now, but if it persists after looking after it yourself, head to the dentist and have a night splint made.
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thank you
and using ice/heat packs will help. If it feels a bit out of alignment, there's probably some inflammation in the joint which can make everything feel out a balance, particularly when you bite together.
) and he was really worried!
like yesterday!
gross but that wasn't the problem in the end anyway but i got a good clean out..... haha!!
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