I'm currently weaning off my anxiety
medication and for the past couple of days
the right side of my jaw has been quite
tense.
It started when i was talking to my sister
about our father's recent seperation from
our stepmom (who is amazing). Some old
emotional wounds came up during
conversation and the right side of my jaw
kind of locked. I couldn't open my mouth
more than a centimetre between my teeth.
It stayed that way until the next day. But
when my sister and I started to talk about
our dad again the right side of my jaw
locked and has been that way ever since
(this was sunday).
The most I've been able to open my mouth
is about one inch between my teeth. It's
hard to eat since I cant open my mouth
very much. I can chew food and gum with no
pain. I just cant open my mouth.
Could this be caused by stress?
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mominashoe
Supporter
Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 1558 Location: , USA
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Thanked:3
Posted: 05-07-08 10:05am
Yes it could. You might be clenching your
teeth too without realizing it, or even
doing it in your sleep. A lot of people
have a class B bite on their teeth,
meaning that it is slightly crooked, so
you will be able to be more tense on one
side than on the other. It could You
might want to look at being adjusted by a
chiropractor. Warm compresses to loosen
the muscles will help.
Since you have no pain, it doesn't
indicate that it is TMD necessarily, but
we do have a forum on that too if you want
to post there.
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mm-82
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Nov 2007 Posts: 21
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Thanked:1
Posted: 05-07-08 16:00pm
thank you so much for your response! I was
thinking that it could be a wisdom tooth
growing in or something but I have no pain
and my jaw isn't swollen so I have
everyone confused, including myself.
I am going to head to the doctor's office
later today though cuz it seems to be
worse today.
I'm thinking I might have a class B bite
cuz sometimes I have to adjust my jaw
after yawning really wide or something.
And it's the right side that i have to
adjust, which is the problem side at the
moment.
Should I see a dentist?
|
mominashoe
Supporter
Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 1558 Location: , USA
Thanks: 13
Thanked:3
Posted: 05-07-08 16:24pm
Some dental work might fix it, braces, a
splint, or chiropractic... most people
have this problem, it's just more or less
bothersome. I have it too, but it gets
worse when I'm in stressful situations and
set or clench my jaw, it clicks when I eat
really chewy food, like a crusty bread or
tootsie roll. It doesn't bother me too
much unless someone hits it or I aggravate
it of course.
You might be on the path to having a bad
problem or it could just stay the way it
is forever, or it might go away. I found
chiropractic to be the best solution for
me because I have get adjustments for my
back as it is and we'd just handle that
while I was there. He used a mechanical
activator method, which is really gentle
and effective.
My symptoms come and go. Sometimes one of
my kids who I'll have on my lap struggles
and hits it and throws it off so that it's
painful. Sometimes I forget I have it but
then there was once I aggravated it so
badly that I couldn't open or shut my
mouth for a few days and had to get the
chiropractor to fix it in a few sessions
(never try to bit the ear off a frozen
chocolate bunny lol.)
I think you would really benefit from
posting in the TMJ (TMD forum). There are
a lot of knowledgeable people there with
the same issues and can probably give you
more tips than I can.
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mm-82
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 29 Nov 2007 Posts: 21
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Thanked:1
Posted: 05-07-08 17:02pm
The strangest thing just happened..
My lockjaw is gone! However, the right
side "pops" and i have to set it back to
align it. I'm still going to the doctors
though.
I've had the alignment issue for years but
never bothered me. The right side would
just "pop" out of place and I'd "pop" it
back in. I never experience any pain.
I noticed that if I pop it back into place
and try to open and close my mouth i feel
the tense "lock jaw" feeling again or
it'll just pop back out. But if I do an
"under bite" with my jaw it'll "pop" and
the tense lock jaw feeling goes away.
I will check out the TMJ/TMD forum.. thank
you SO MUCH for your help, I really
appreciate it
|
mominashoe
Supporter
Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 1558 Location: , USA
Thanks: 13
Thanked:3
Posted: 05-07-08 17:11pm
No problem... the incidence of increased
stressed probably just took the problem to
a peak to make it more noticeable. I'm
glad I could help you out
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