# Anyone ever have TMJ?



## Baby Blue (Nov 22, 2010)

I have it for the first time in my life and it hurts like hell..just on one side. Any advice? This is new to me and it's driving me nuts


----------



## OxidativeCleavage (Dec 27, 2010)

I don't know much about TMJ - but since you didn't get any answers right away I did some quick research on this for you and here is what I've found thus far... 

This link from the mayo clinic seems like it *might* be useful - TMJ disorders - MayoClinic.com

Good luck...


----------



## mrscientist (Jul 4, 2010)

I talked to a woman with this. She had to wear a mouthpiece(similar to one we use in boxing) and had to undergo surgery. Don't know how serious yours is.


----------



## Baby Blue (Nov 22, 2010)

Thanks guys..its not too serious. Just kind of painful, but the pain seems to happen at random times...that's why I was wondering if anyone else has it. I can't seem to figure out what causes it to flare up. Thanks for the info though.


----------



## ClaireDeetz (Jan 25, 2011)

Yes! I was diagnosed with TMJ about 4 years ago. It flares up every time I'm stressed, have been chewing too much gum, or eating anything too chewy. However, it was much worse at the initial onset than it is nowadays.
My advice:
600 mg ibuprofen every 4-6 hours to deal with the acute pain (but don't do this for more than a day or two because it's a high dose-also don't do this if you're allergic, have a bad liver, or drink very much alcohol). My dentist had me do this and it really brings down the inflammation inside the jaw joint. Also, have someone listen while you're sleeping to see if you grind your teeth. If this is the culprit, you may need to be fitted for a night mouth guard.
Sometimes massaging the muscles right around your jaw, temple and the top of your head can help a little.
Avoid eating anything that involves opening your mouth very wide. Repeated wide opening of your mouth will make it much worse and it could even get "stuck" open for a few minutes. My mouth used to get stuck in the closed position for hours at a time, so I'd have to eat/drink through a straw.:frustrating:
Also, don't chew gum, eat chewy things like tootsie rolls or calamari, and try meditation :tongue:


----------



## Baby Blue (Nov 22, 2010)

ClaireDeetz said:


> Yes! I was diagnosed with TMJ about 4 years ago. It flares up every time I'm stressed, have been chewing too much gum, or eating anything too chewy. However, it was much worse at the initial onset than it is nowadays.
> My advice:
> 600 mg ibuprofen every 4-6 hours to deal with the acute pain (but don't do this for more than a day or two because it's a high dose-also don't do this if you're allergic, have a bad liver, or drink very much alcohol). My dentist had me do this and it really brings down the inflammation inside the jaw joint. Also, have someone listen while you're sleeping to see if you grind your teeth. If this is the culprit, you may need to be fitted for a night mouth guard.
> Sometimes massaging the muscles right around your jaw, temple and the top of your head can help a little.
> ...


Thank you so much! That is very helpful!


----------



## agreenbough (Aug 11, 2010)

I have a mild case of it at random times - usually when I'm stressed. But I really don't have any pain, just a weird "tired" sort feeling and my jaws feel misaligned when I open and close my mouth. They sort of pop into place. My jaws will actuall feel uncomfortably tired sometimes when I sing along with the radio or talk a lot (not that the "talking a lot " thing happens very often:laughing I had a weird scary thing several years ago when my mouth was "stuck" open for a few seconds. I also sometimes have a grating sound when I open and close my mouth.
I have arthritis in a few joints - mainly my knees, big toes, and a couple of fingers. I have a few relatives with the same kinds of problems, and I think we my have genetically inferior cartilage.
Don't know it the arthritis has anything to do with the TMJ...


----------



## Siggy (May 25, 2009)

If you havent seen a dentist or oral surgeon yet please do. They can make an accurate diagnosis. I did and I subsequently went for an MRI of the joint. It showed movement of the cartilage. i ended up having a minor procedure on the joint. That was ages ago and I've been fine since.


----------



## Introspiritual (Mar 12, 2010)

Also, there's some massage therapists out there who know specific techniques (often working inside the mouth) to relieve the muscle tension associated with it. Had it done once after a very stressful period in my life (when it flares up) and I was astounded at the difference that 15 minutes made for weeks after.


----------



## Baby Blue (Nov 22, 2010)

Thanks so much guys!


----------



## InevitablyKriss (Dec 23, 2010)

I have this, so does my mom and my sister. My mom's is much worse than ours though, so she's been able to provide some useful tips.

A good thing is to see if your grinding your teeth at night. If your clenching your teeth together while you sleep, then it's only going to make your jaw hurt for the rest of the day when you wake up. It's hard to get out of the habbit of clenching your teeth, but at least when you go to sleep, make sure you have a pinky's different from your top moller from your bottom moller before you go to sleep and just relax it.

Never tense up your jaw, even when it really hurts. Just make it as relaxed as possible.

Don't chew gum. Chewy things can also make it worse. Don't talk on and on and on forever. Monitor how frequently you speak. (When I was little, my little cousins use to make me tell them stories, and eventually it would just lock up my jaw.) This includes singing. You can sing, don't get me wrong, just make sure you give yourself plenty of breaks.

If you're jaw is currently hurting really bad right now, don't eat something you really have to use muscle to chew. Get something like yogurt that can slip down your throat.


----------



## Baby Blue (Nov 22, 2010)

thanks yeah. I think it was the singing and the stress. I will take all of this advice. Thank you all. It just seems weird to get it so suddenly now when I've never had any problems. I'd heard of TMJ before, I just had no idea how badly it can hurt. At the moment, thanks to your posts, it doesn't hurt right now. :happy:


----------

