What is up with my jaw?

[lavender's green]

I was eating toast this morning (homemade sourdough with  a really thick, crunchy crust). I guess I chewed the crust unevenly because something happened on the left side of my jaw and I suddenly couldn't open my mouth very far. I tried moving my jaw around and a few minutes later it was unstuck and I had my normal range of motion back...then immediately got stuck again. It keeps going back and forth now. When it's stuck I can open my jaw wide enough to stick one finger between my front teeth. There's a little discomfort but no real pain, though I think there could be if I keep working my muscles unevenly. I can hear the jaw joint when it's in the stuck position and moving, only because the joint is right next to my ear; it's not audible to anyone else.

 

I've had this happen in late pregnancy as my hormones loosen up my joints, but it always went away as soon as I got it unstuck. I've never had the stuck-unstuck-stuck pattern.

 

What's going on and what do I do? It doesn't seem Urgent Care-worthy, but normal office hours are 48 hours away...

[East Coast Sue]

Sounds like TMJ. I'd recommend Motrin, heat, and very soft foods until it feels better (at least a couple of days). If you don't have a night guard, I'd recommend having one made by your dentist. Night guards are worn at night and can greatly reduce the pain and jaw locking associated with TMJ.

 

 

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[MyLife]

I have had my jaw lock up to where I couldn't open my mouth. I went to the dentist. He prescribed a muscle relaxer (I think, but maybe it was an anti-inflammatory, I can't remember), and said it was because I was clenching my teeth.

 

ETA: Call your dentist. My dentist fit me in right away.

Edited May 13, 2017 by MyLife

[lavender's green]

Thanks, guys! I have it nice and unstuck now, but get a clicky noise every time I open my mouth. I'm not sure if that was my norm before this happened. I think maybe it was and I just stopped noticing.

 

I'll look into a night guard right away!

[HTRMom]

Yes, look up TMJ. But I really hope it's not that, because treatment is not easy and insurance doesn't like it - they fight over medical or dental.

 

 

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[DawnM]

Do NOT get a deep tissue massage on it!  :laugh:

[Arctic Bunny]

Do NOT get a deep tissue massage on it! :laugh:

😂

[Paige]

Sounds like TMJ. I asked my dentist about a mild issue I was having and he had me do all these weird movements that literally made my jaw hurt for months after- like 9 months! I wasn't 1/10 as sore as before I went in. The dentist offered me no help and said I should pay attention to if I was clenching my jaw during the day for 6 months and come back. I didn't go back. I am not clenching, and the dentist agreed that my teeth showed no signs of that. 

 

I went to my regular MD and he gave me some muscle relaxers which helped a ton. If I were you, I'd avoid the dentist, see a regular Dr, and treat my jaw very, very carefully for the next few weeks. I'd eat soft foods and soups, and avoid anything that requires much chewing. If you don't aggravate it while it is recovering from this episode, it may go away.