The other morning, I woke up having this sore feeling in my right cheek. Actually, it’s not the cheek but the joint that connects my jaw to my skull – the Temporomandibular Joint or TMJ. It was a bit of surprise then but not so much. I’ll explain that bit later.
This morning when I woke up, my TMJ is still sore. People close to me know that I worry too much when it comes to uncommon things happening to my body. I tend to think the worst and so I cannot help but attempt to self-diagnose myself through research.
The easiest and fastest way to look for answers was to use the Internet, of course. I found sites that talk about dull pain in the jaw and it led me to sites that talk about Temporomandibular Joint dysfunction/syndrome. After reading the symptoms and the causes, I felt that this was the problem I have.
When I was around 10 or so years of age, I remember having this bad habit of “grinding” (for lack of a better word) my left and/or right jaw until I hear a click sound. Sort of like the equivalent of cracking your knuckles except I do this with my TMJ.
It wasn’t really painful to “crack” the jaw. It’s about as painful as cracking one’s knuckles which wasn’t. So thinking nothing of it, I kept on doing it for a while.
Over the years, I stopped cracking my left jaw but continued cracking my right jaw. I noticed that the right side of my head (where my right TMJ is) is protruding more than the left. At the time, I tried to stop cracking my right jaw. Of course, the operative word here is “tried.” I tried and failed.
At around the early 1990′s I started to have this odd thing going on with my jaw. Whenever I yawn, my right jaw would lock momentarily but I was always able to close my mouth again but not after a loud clicking sound (which really grosses out Raquel, I might add).
I stopped cracking my right jaw then. I was thinking that this is my punishment for cracking my jaw all these years. But then at around 1995, I started feeling pain from my right TMJ. That made me real worried.
I visited my dentist aunt to have my jaw problem examined. She didn’t really tell me what the problem was but she did tell me what the possible solution was. I had to wear braces to adjust my bite or something like that.
The pain stopped some time after the braces were put into place. The pain did not return even after the braces were removed a year later. It apparently cured my yawn-jaw-lock combo problem then.
However it wasn’t long before I suffered my first yawn-jaw-lock problem after the braces were removed. Well, at least it didn’t hurt so I didn’t mind. But after that, every time I needed to yawn, chances were, I’m going to have this jaw-lock-click issue.
What I did to avoid the jaw-lock-click was to stifle the yawn. But sometimes, I just can’t stifle it and so, jaw-lock-CLICK!
I didn’t mind it too much still because it wasn’t causing me any pain or anything. Except last year, right after a jaw-lock-click incident, my TMJ became painful. I got worried then but not too much because the next day the pain was gone.
It’s not the case this time. Two days in a row and the pain remained. Raquel suggested I let it rest for a while by not chewing gum and chewing on my fingers. If the pain doesn’t disappear by itself in two more days then I should see a doctor about it. Wait and see.
Fortunately, I no longer feel pain in my jaw. It went away all by itself. I just avoided whistling, chewing my finger tips and popping my jaw. I’m also more careful whenever I yawn. And the pain disappeared.
I hope everything goes well for you, too. Sa experience ko, nakakatulong din ang prayer. But I think 60k for braces is a good investment to save towards. Good luck in that endeavour.
I just want to share my experience about this TMJ dysfunction and want to ask for some help.
I am lorie, college student. My story goes like this.
When I was in highschool I used to play with my niece and she accidentally hit my left jaw with her feet, it cause so much pain. My father brought me to ” manghihilot ” in our barangay and it lessen the pain. but it keep coming back everytime i eat hard food.
During my college days… while i was eating I’ve experienced that jaw-lock click issue. I consulted a ENT surgeon, he diagnosed me for having temporomandibular dysfunction secondary to malocclusion, he advice me to have a check up on dentist.
And the dentist said that i must have my braces to prevent other complication and to lessen the pain. I am really willing to have my braces in order for me not to suffer anymore in that pain. But the dentist told me that it will cost too much, about 60000 pesos…wow!! that too much for me…I don’t have that big amount and for sure my parents cannot afford that… I just told the dentist that i will just come back to her clinic.. I went outside and just cried…..:(( I don’t know what to do:( I can still experience the pain right now but i cant do anything, we have no money!! I just prayed to my Saviour to help me to passed this test. I know that he won’t give this kind of trials if I won’t be able to pass this.
Now I want to ask for help from you… an advice will do…just to lessen the pain I am experiencing right now.
Godbless… I will pray for you!!
Just send to my email your response.. And it will be much appreciated. Thank you