I think my jaw is dislocated.

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Cattlegod

Diamond Member
May 22, 2001
8,687
1
0
So I was eating lunch today and bit into a chip and I heard a big "pop" sound from my jaw (upper right side by my ear).

Fastforward 12 hours later and it still hurts. my movement is more limited than it was earlier today. It hurts a lot to bit down onto something, I kind of have to nom on my food to eat it. My jaw feels like it is set forward about 1mm.

Anything that anyone knows how to do self diagnosis or self treatment?
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: UberNeuman
Do what Riggs did to put his shoulder back in place and you'll be good to go.
Click to expand...

Make sure you wear the reverse beartrap from Saw while you do it. Make some money, at least.
 
IHateMyJob2004

IHateMyJob2004

Lifer
Sep 29, 2004
18,656
67
91
Could be TMJ (gogle it)

Could be sprained

If you live where there are ticks, it could be lyme disease. <== this one happened to me with similar symptoms to you

Go see your PCP.
 
S

ShOcKwAvE827

Senior member
Jul 28, 2001
950
0
0
Most likely dislocated. Happens to me sometimes when I yawn really wide, also happens on the right side for me. Mine usually sets back into place after a few minutes when my muscles relax but is it like when you bite down its all tight and won't close all the way?
 
Azraele

Azraele

Elite Member
Nov 5, 2000
16,524
29
91
You suspect your jaw might be dislocated and you'd like to self-diagnose/treat? Go to a doctor, sheesh.
 
T

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
4,092
136
Sounds like you popped it out. Happens to me every so often, I pop it back in and eventually it feels better. :p I'm pretty positive I've got some minor TMJ tho. I'd go see your PCP.
 
moshquerade

moshquerade

No Lifer
Nov 1, 2001
61,504
12
56
TMJ subluxation. go see a doc or a dentist.

MANDIBULAR DISLOCATION- The condyle is positioned anterior to the articular eminence and/or disk and unable to return to the closed position. Previously termed subluxation. A true dislocation cannot be reduced by the patient and a subluxation can be reduced by the patient usually in a brief period.
Click to expand...

and in the future refrain from opening your mouth real wide, like when you eat a sub sandwich, or yawn, etc.
also, don't chew gum.
 
rudder

rudder

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
19,441
86
91
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Is THAT your story? :shocked::p:D
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That's the very first thing I though of as well. OP is a very brave man... but he could be more honest with us. There are people on this forum that could help him.
 
T

TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
I had to have surgery to fix the TMJ I had.

It started out like the OP's situation. I was doing something, heard a pop, and felt like my jaw wasn't sitting correctly. After a while, things went back to normal.

Kept happening, and it only got worse. Eventually, I couldn't open my jaw without it popping, and even more it eventually got to where i couldn't open my jaw without it popping very painfully.

Between your skull (T-temporal) and your jaw (M-mandible) is a cartildge Disc (J-joint) and these three things make up your TMJ. If that disc gets out of place, it will reak havoc on your jaw movement. That disc is tied to a tendon and as you pop it, it will cause pain in the disc, and will also aggrivate the tendon as the popping and pressure causes you to stretch, yank on, and irritate that tendon. As you mess with that tendon, it only gets weaker and stretches, which allows the disc more slack to move around in your TMJ. The more it can move around, the more likely it will fall out of place.

Eventually, the tendon will strech enough that the disc will no longer sit in its correct spot,but will actually slide forward and block your jaw from opening!!!

Go to a doctor, stat. It's only going to get worse and more frustrating

Do you have health insurance? There is a quick procedure to clean out your tmj, inject some steroids, and tighten things up. Out of pocket would be $1,500+ for the surgery, but its usually covered by health insurance (as was mine).

Having the procedure immediately corrected my problem. A few weeks later my jaw popped, but from something completely different. I opened my mouth really wide. Went and saw the surgeon, and he asked me to open my mouth till the point that it would pop. I did, he took a measurement, and he told me the average and healthy distance to open your mouth is about 38mm.. I had opened mine to 50mm when it popped. He laughed and said there's nothing wrong with my jaw, but that I was simply over extending it.

Basically I said

"it hurts when I do this"

He says

"then don't do that"

 
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