Okay, my disclaimer is that I’m going to be going to the doctors after the holidays and I know that I shouldn’t take any replies as medical advice.
All of that out of the way, about a week ago I was doing something and I clenched my jaw. I heard a crack and felt a pop, almost as if I had cracked my knuckles. The difference was that it was accompanied by pain.
So now every so often, when I clench my jaw, the same thing happens.
Any ideas what it is? Will it go away?
TMJ dysfunction/disorder, most likely. I recently got it, too. I haven’t got around to the doctor 
but there are exercises and such.
Can you pop it mostly at will? With possibly a “refractory period.”
Google for info, but as always, consult a doctor (or dentist?), not that I can criticize.
Real-life medical and legal questions go in IMHO rather than General Questions.
Moved.
samclem, moderator
Dentist here. Your disclamer noted and mine right back at ya.
The link by** thelurkinghorror **is good but very long. It does sound like TMJ. Seeing a destist or M.D. is the best idea. Ask about their experience in dealing with TMJ it varies GREATLY. All that being said first thing I tell someone in your position to do is apply heat 3-4 times a day and take an antiinflamitory. Advil 400mg(two of the over the counter pills) every 6 hours. See your healthcare provider soon for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Happens to me sometimes when I’m eating. It’s painful enough to where I have to be very careful chewing for the next 24 hours.
Is one better or does it matter?
their experience level usually matters more.
It looks like that might be temporary? I read some last night and it said something to the effect that it either lasts 3 months or considerably longer. I didn’t see anything about any exercises though.
Kind of - it’s weird, it’s like it will hit for an hour or so where I ‘feel’ the pressure and I can pop it without much of a refractory period. Then I’ll go several hours and I couldn’t pop it if I tried.
I kind of figured a doctor would be the way to go - but a dentist? That might be better I suppose.
Which would be better a dentist or an MD?
Do you know the success rate of it going away?
Fair enough.
I want to say that this all started after eating something a week or so ago.
Thanks all!
There are specialists. You can try searching in your area for Head and Neck pain clinics, facial pain clinics, TMJ specialty providers, etc.
Many of these types of centers have a variety of professionals, dentists, doctors, physical therapists, etc. and use a multispecialty approach.
I have had TMJ for years. I met with several specialists. Grinding and clentching your teeth aggravates the popping and discomfort. I also find cold weather causes increased stiffness. A hot pack helps for me. There are other treatments including devices to position your jaw and even surgery. Unless you are feeling pain every time your jaw clicks these treatments are probably unnecessary.
Usually one side pops more frequently. That side can then upset the opposite joint. Until you meet with someone you should try to avoid straining your jaw even more. One of the doctors recommended avoiding foods that were “hard, wide or chewy”, advice I never followed. I experienced the greatest improvement after I stopped grinding my teeth.
I don’t understand why a hot pack would help you - throughout the day I don’t really feel anything there. When I do feel the pain and the pop, it’s generally a quick pain.
My jaw doesn’t really feel stiff, although I do clench my teeth a bit - I thought I was getting better at it though (meaning, less frequently).
I don’t feel pain every time it clicks, only when it’s a big click - if that makes sense. Otherwise it feels like the muscle is on top of something and when I close my mouth all the way, the muscle slides over it - kind of like strumming a guitar string.
Right now only one side is popping.
Question - the advice on avoiding hard foods - this seems to indicate that if I can manage to go without popping my jaw for a bit, it could get better (if it’s going to get better, that is), correct?
It has been happening to my daughter a lot lately, to the point where often she can’t even open her mouth more than an inch or so. Thinking it was her retainer, I took her to her dentist and orthodontist. They both immediately said stress…kind of pissed me off that just because she’s female and 15, the knee jerk reaction was stress with no other investigation on their part.
TM joint pain can be caused by bruising of the TM joint. It’s a weird joint, with a little ball of cartilage inbetween two bones and a big weird muscle (attached at the top of your head) moving it all around. You get a little mis-aligned there and it just bruises itself with every movement. That’s what causes chronic TMJ pain. Also that little disc of cartilage can get worn away, and/or stuck in a weird position and that’s what causes your jaw to lock up.
My first advice is to stop popping it for fun. Popping your knuckles is just releasing some gasses and not really doing anything to your joint. Popping your TM joint is pushing that disc around to where it shouldn’t be and back to where it should be. And probably causing bruising in the meantime.
If you just have temporary pain from bruising you need to take care of the area like any other bruise. I actually use cold, not heat. Keep your mouth shut but not clenched - put your tongue between your teeth, or a pencil. Or put your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Avoid hard stuff - apples, nuts, chips. Avoid chewy stuff - Skittles. Avoid stuff that takes a lot of munching - popcorn. Avoid things that make you open your mouth too wide - big sandwiches, blowjobs heh heh. Avoid talking a lot (I mean talking for long stretches at a time). Just do anything to try to keep that disc from banging around in there and aggravating your bruise.
If you have temporary TM pain from a bruise, it’ll go away. If you have chronic pain from mis-alignment, a weak muscle, degenerated cartilage, clenching & bruxism and/or stress, then you’ll want to see a doctor that specializes in TMJD who can help diagnose and manage, usually with orthodontics. Don’t go to a surgeon - they will sell you surgery.
AFAIK TMJD is a chronic disorder that does not go away, but is managed for the rest of your life. I’ve gone through 2 total treatments now - one huge re-alignment with braces and splints when I was 18, and then another smaller re-alignment with braces when I was 25. I wear a custom fit mouth guard every night and see my TMJD-specialist dentist as my regular dentist for cleanings and TMJ checkups. Anything that I mention above that should be avoided to help avoid pain is stuff I have to avoid. Or do in moderation heh heh
Anyway, hope that helps.
TLDR: Stop popping your jaw, put ice on it and give it a rest.