Hey, I have a medical problem. First, a little background; since the beginning of my freshman year in college, when I wake up in the morning often times my jaw is out of place (I’m not exactly sure how it came “loose” in the first place), but it is quite easy to simply pop it back into alignment. I figured that this was due to me sleeping on my side every night, with the side of my face dug into the pillow.
Well, this morning I awoke to that familiar feeling of pressure on the right side of my jaw, but it wasn’t going back into place. In the shower, I tried desperately to knock it back into alignment, with no success. The whole day I have been going like this. I can’t open my mouth more than halfway without experiencing a good deal of strain and pressure, though no serious pain. It has made eating an arduous task however.
My one friend suggested it could be tetanus, which I guess COULD be a possibility, except I’m not sick. I’m not dizzy, I’m not light headed, I don’t have a headache, fever, or stomach ache. Basically all I can do for the moment I hope that by sleeping on the opposite side of my face tonight, I can pop my jaw out of it’s current alignment.
IANAD or D, but this sounds a lot like a problem with your TMJ (temporomandibular joint, or jaw). I used to have problems with mine where it would lock open for several seconds after yawning or, er, having my mouth open for an extended period. But it never lasted all day! It has mostly gone away, with the only remaining symptom being an occasional clicking sound when I “pop” it.
Get thee to a doctor and have it checked. (You knew we were going to say that!)
IANAD or D, but it also sounds like TMJ to me. Those were pretty much my symptoms. My dentist told me that it came from grinding my teeth at night, and she fitted me with a simple plastic retainer that I wear over my top teeth at night. Works like a charm. I can even eat apples and chew gum now without my jaw locking up.
Thank you so much. That sounds like exactly what I need. I definitely grind my teeth at night, and that coupled with having half my face dug into the pillow at night can’t be good. Thanks for the response.
Could anyone offer possible methods of treatment that could remedy my lock-jaw situation, at least for the time being, seeing as how I probably won’t be able to get to the dentist for a few months?
Probably nothing. I had the same problem in high school. Would lock up when chewing gum, for a few minutes… but once it locked up for 4 months straight, and I couldn’t open it much.
The embarassing thing was, it locked up at the exact moment when I was in the middle of giving a speech to the school board. All of a sudden I couldn’t open my mouth to speak. I was just sitting there going “what happened” opening and closing my jaw. The stuff of nightmares.
Anyway, it’ll go away. Just don’t eat hard foods and don’t force it open. You’ll get used to it after a couple of weeks, and as long as you abstain from chewy/hard foods, it’ll get better. I never had a problem after that 4-month period, but then again, I used to be a gum lover before and never chewed gum much after that. Also grinded my teeth a lot.
Don’t force it, don’t chew gum/apples/jawbreakers/hard candy like Whoppers/etc., don’t eat big sandwiches, just don’t force it… it WILL go away on its own, and you’ll get used to it in a week or two