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Thread: Jaw pain

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    373

    Jaw pain

    Does anyone else have TMJ problems? I have had horrible pain in the right side of my jaw for the last year or so. My doctor says that it is all my anxiety causing me to clench my jaw and so I have effectively sprained it. It is really really painful though, I have trouble opening my mouth properly when it's really bad. There are some things I can't eat at all, I tend to stick to soft foods, I had some nuts today and the pain was terrible! The doctor makes light of it and just tells me to 'relax'....I think I'll punch the next person to tell me that! Added to my other problems, IBS, anxiety, agitation and dizzy spells, it's really getting me down...

  2. #2

    Re: Jaw pain

    Hi Samira,

    I have a bad case of TMJ for a few years now. It is awful isn't it ?!!
    It's gotten so bad at times that one side of my jaw will actually swell up and get inflamed and look like I have the mumps.

    I have been grinding my teeth for years also in my sleep. To the point where I had to get one molar replaced because it finally cracked.

    My GP has told me I have one of the worst cases he's ever seen... thanks Doc !

    I bought myself a mouth guard ( cost about $70.00 but you can get them less expensive) and I wear it sometimes when it seems like I'm clenching my jaw more than usual.

    My dentist told me just to go to a sporting goods store and buy a mouth guard that football players or other athletes wear. I never tried that, but heard it's a good alternative if you don't want to spend the extra money.

    My GP told me if things don't get better that I'll have to have surgery...and it's not supposed to be a very pleasant one to get over.

    I recently heard that people with food allergies can be sensitive to getting TMJ. That's not my case, but maybe yours ?

    Of course cutting down on caffeine and sugar helps...it did for me.

    Something new I'm going to try is this that I've just learned about and I'll pass it on, I don't know if it will work but if you're like me you're probably willing to try almost anything.

    There are two nutrients that are apparently helpful in fighting TMJ syndrome: calcium and pantothenic acid.
    In addition to your daily supplements, take
    • Calcium: 1,200 mg. at bedtime
    • Panthothenic acid: 200 mg. daily
    I have great empathy for you...and I know what you mean when people tell you to just relax....yeah...I'll relax right after I spit the rest of my teeth out, and pick my jaw off the floor.

    Take care and hang in there ,

    ~Rebecca

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    373

    Re: Jaw pain

    Thanks Rebecca....do you find the mouth guard makes any significant difference? I think I'll have to get one. Good to know I'm not the only one - hope yours gets better too!

  4. #4

    Re: Jaw pain

    Hi Samira,

    Yes , the mouth guard does help with relaxing my jaw.
    I will be honest though and tell you that it took awhile to get used to sleeping with it. I got really frustrated with it at first and put it away & just thought I had wasted my money.
    Then my pain took over again and I thought I'd give it a try again. I later found out that I had just not adjusted mine properly.

    One little tip I'll pass on that has helped some. During the day I try to be aware of when I'm clenching my jaw. When I do, I try to part my teeth & lips and that helps to relax my jaw...

    Good luck and I hope you get some relief soon,

    ~Rebecca

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    2,924

    Re: Jaw pain

    hey i get jaw pain, tho not as bad as u two.

    i grind my teeth and have a mouthguard at night made by my dentist.

    i get intense pain in my jaws and my tongue and sometimes chew my tongue so much i cant eat or drink comfortably

    i try to drink plenty of water and chew gum or suck sweets to increase saliva flow in my mouth.

    i find it really difficult to relax my mouth and jaw, shoulders seem much easier to drop, but jaw seems to need to be firm to hold head up.

    mind u i find relaxation v difficult full stop.

    hope that sharing this helps a little,

    milly xx

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    373

    Re: Jaw pain

    Thanks for sharing - looks like I'll have to try the mouthguard thing, which I find a bit daunting - I can imagine they're not easy to sleep in. I also (just to complicate matters) have dental phobia and an excessively sensitive gag reflex. So that's going to be fun!
    I'll work on trying not to clench my jaw during the day as well.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    , , USA.
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    115

    Re: Jaw pain

    Interstingly enough I am about to leave in an hour for he dentist for pretty much the same thing you described. Mine started last week I was at work and it started out like a headache.. I figured it was a tension headache I get alot of those... well when I took my headset off ( I work in a call center) the headache instantly traveled to my jaw right in front of my right ear.. Well I didn't think anything of it took a Motrin went home.. by Sunday I woke up and lo and behold sometime during the night I had taken a chunk out of my back molar! After that I started waking up every night in the middle of the night because my jaw ached had to take a Mortin and fill the hot water bottle to get back to sleep.. I wake up every morning my jaw feels fine! I try to eat something like yesterday I had some wheat crackers and omg you would have thought someone had punched me that was how sore they made my jaw.. if I lay on it same thing.. It's like having a pulled muscle.. yet the tooth it's self doesn't hurt at all!!!

    Hopefully the dentist today can tell me something I've missed a week of work.. Since I talk all day every day on the phone I can't very well do my job if one of the key components.. my mouth isn't working right.. I've wondered if I have TMJ but I've been trying not to dwell on it I don't want to aggravate my health anxiety heck I haven't even tried to google it!!! I know I clench my jaw during the day and obviously I'm clenching/grinding in my sleep.. wish me luck.. I'll report back..

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    3,735

    Re: Jaw pain

    I get awful pain in my tongue and back of throat with tmj and my tmj aches and crunches horribly. The tongue pain I get everytime I swallow and the side of my tongue tingles and is sensitive as well - also my gums ache on the affected side and my neck muscle is tense and painful just under my ear. I get attacks that last about a week then okay again. I also get shooting pain in my ear and itchy ear on same side all at the same time!!!

    I got a book Taking control of tmj by robert uppgaard and one of the exercises is this say the work cluck but leave your tongue pressed against the top of your mouth just behind your teeth and keep your mouth closed and keep doing this on and off all day holding for a few minutes each time - this puts your jaw in correct position - it seems to work with me after a few days

    worth a try

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    373

    Re: Jaw pain

    Definitely will give it a try! Thanks countrygirl. x

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    56

    Re: Jaw pain

    Well I've never been diagnosed with TMJ but considering I can crack the poo out of my jaws every day I'd say I'm there.

    I notice that my pains are on my head/scalp and tension related. My jaw doesn't hurt that much but it seems to refer the pain

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