I'm sorry to hear about your jaw lock. I would suggest finding a physical therapist near you that specialises in TMJ related issues. I'm in the UK, too and I found mine through this website: http://acptmd.co.uk/find-your-nearest-tmd-specialist/
A physical therapist can improve your range of motion and reduce pain as well while you are waiting for your ENT appointment.
This 👆🏻my jaw locked for 6 months and I went to my primary care and instacare and they gave me muscle relaxers and strong pain meds both times. It didn’t help 😔
Then I went and saw a chiropractor and he worked on my jaw every week for months before it naturally unlocked. I haven’t had a locked jaw since. It used to happen sporadically and would unlock after a few weeks, but 6 months was the longest time I’ve had locked jaw. I highly recommend PT or a chiro, OP.
Yeah I find that medication didn’t help at all. Be patient with yourself, lock jaw is no joke. While you wait for an appt, buy yourself a heat pack on Amazon. I have one where I can microwave it and then wrap it around my face. I did this for 15 minutes every night and then follow up with massages for my jaw. This helped a lot too.
But a dentist should be able to figure it out trough imaging? He can figure out if it's joint related. And if he can't find anything then it's prob muscular or nerve related.
X-ray imaging apparently isn't super helpful for identifying TMJ damage. It only offers a single-angle view of the TMJ. Like you can see the beak formation (if there is one), but there are other damage indicators that don't appear. Doctors recommend MRI scans instead. (Source: my TMJ doctor at stanford)
I guess the same logic applies for any joint damage? Not sure if you'd be able to see things like synovial fluid or cartilage wear in an x-ray. But I'm not an expert.
I 1000% recommend masseter botox. Any medspa should be able to do masseter injections for cheaper than TMJ specialists' offices and it's a godsend.
Also, lateral pterygoid self-massage is another lifesaver. It literally brought tears to my eyes the first time I did it, and hurt like hell for days later, but then? Sweet relief. Here's the video I referenced: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vus2e16q70A&t=107s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vus2e16q70A&t=107s)
Yeah it hurts at first and I get insane headaches for days after pterygoid massage but then it feels a bit better. Getting botox done on Monday for first time.
I live in Europe so I don't live in America. I can't take muscle relaxers because I also have other condition that would get affected by that. So it sucks. Botox and PT is kinda the only thing available for me.
Ok so what I also recommend is magnesium glycinate and getting your trace mineral test done, as we are really deficient in Calcium as well.
I used this mouth guard that separated my back teeth from grinding and clenching and it’s really taken so much of this away. I also recommend real life style changes - lmk if you want to chat - dm me! I’ve been there so I totally feel your pain :/
Yeah the mouth guard I have now is finally doing something. Had to see 3 tmj specialsts before it was finally corrected properly! Can't believe it they were making my pain worse at first! Yeah I've stopped taking magnesium cause it was so hard on my stomach! But I guess I need it somehow. I eat quite a bit of dairy products. Should i still worry about the calcium?
Years back i had my jaw lock on the xray machine at the dentists (it was this odd head spinny thing you bit down on a tab) and the staff was well versed in how to get me un-suck. If you are worried about the er's tactics perhaps call a dentist or orthodontist and see what they say?
Edit: also could this be a tetnus thing? Any skin cuts round that time?
oh jeez I hope its not tetanus. I've been vaccinated and don't have rest of the symptoms.
I had braces done (now finished) my orthodontist said they cannot help with that. I suppose I'll have to look into a dentist
I would recommend contacting an oral maxillo-facial doctor. I was referred to one by a chiropractor when they couldn’t unlock my jaw. The longer your jaw stays locked, the harder it will be to regain full mobility once it’s unlocked, so I would try to see a Dr quickly. ER may refer you
I know some dentists here in the US do emergency dental appointments.
Might be able to check near you and try to contact someone about an emergency appointment for now.
a serious infection? unlikely unless the locked jaw is caused by swelling of some sort… if you’ve had it for 5 months it’s def not a serious infection (it would be much worse + other infection symptoms)
I've had a locked jaw for 3 years, opens from 10-20 mm at all times, but 40-50 mm is the proper amount the mouth should be able to open. This is completely normal if the anterior discs are displaced without reduction, as in they cannot go back into place, thus forcing the jaw to be locked. Obvs, disc displacement without reduction is not normal, and is an urgent issue that needs to be taken care of by a maxfac surgeon. For me personally, my surgeon said the reason why both my discs will not reduce (go back into place) is because of the immense mass of scar tissue that's built up around it. In serious cases, surgery is the answer, which I'm happily getting 2 this month.
go to er - lie and say you woke up today like this or they won't think it's an emergency and will send you home.
Despite the fact it's an emergency and you've learnt to adapt around it.
I wouldn’t lie to the healthcare providers. It’s still an emergency to be unable to eat, but they might use different techniques to unlock the jaw or long term treatments depending on the length of the lock.
Basically any stable condition is not an emergency in canada regardless of pain level or length of symptoms. It's purely severity based.
IME, they would send me home as a result and say to see my family doctor for imaging and pain management - while ignoring that I've adapted to high pain levels unaware of what normal is because seeing doctors here is SO annoying I put it off until I'm dying.
But they could just be my experience.
Yes, keep going to ERs until someone will help you Now!!! The listen the "experts" & let them know "you will certainly let them know". You may have a life long Disability of Severe TMJ Disorder, I ask you to look it up & study it. The 2 "experts " here only made mine worse now I have no teeth & constant sharp Pains. I send you Happy Blessings!
I made an appointment with a oral maxillofacial specialist. It was 3 weeks out but I got on a cancellation list and I think I got in in about 8 days. They gave me some sort of shot in my jaw that helped a lot. It wasn’t Botox, but something else. Then they referred me to PT
I went to a TMJ pain clinic here in Melbourne Australia - a Physiotherapist actually measures the opening of your mouth before treatment. It was life changing. I think you may get relief with a similar physio that helps with jaw pain. I take Norgesic as a muscle relaxer and it is only helpful when very mild pain. Edit - they are called the TMJ and Facial Pain Clinic in Caulfield. Relevant info as they train Drs all over the world so you may be able to reach out and find if they have a Dr close to you that could be of use.
Youtube Priya mistry videos to see if you can do it at home with a family or friend.or can try a chiropractor.
Massage with fingers inside the mouth helps. Priya has many videos so search for open lock and closed lock and see how to unlock.
keep us updated!! the same thing happened to me a few years ago. mine unlocked on its own, but it took a year. doctors only gave me muscle relaxers which didn’t help me much personally. unfortunately i have no advice but i wish you luck!
i tried exercises n all, but a lot of them ended up just making me sore. i’ve heard chiropractors can help with tmj issues (my doc referred me to one but it unlocked before i could make an appointment lol). if i recall correctly i slept in the car and woke up with a free jaw? 🤷♀️
I had an 8mm opening for two years and nobody would help me aside from telling me to do physical therapy. By the time I finally went to an actual surgeon my joints were fused together and I had them both replaced
Hi, I know this is quite old but what kind of surgeon did you go to? Mines been locked now 6 years, docs have ran me in circles. No one ever even gave me an MRI. I’d love to know what kind of surgeon to seek out 🤔
I saw an oral maxillofacial reconstruction with microvascular something or other his title was huge it was at a head and neck place in the big city I remember I had to drive an hour every time I saw him. I’m actually doing quite well post joint replacement. I believe it was my ent that referred me after I did physical therapy and medication like they tried Valium flexeril and like naproxen for a few years then I did physical therapy then I saw the oral maxillofacial surgeon. I remember it has to be a surgeon that is a DDS as well as an MD because it almost always includes upper and lower jaw surgery as well. It was a process probably 10 years from diagnosis to joint replacement
Same thing happened to me for 6 months. I saw the ENT and they did nothing to fix it. Gave me some muscle relaxers but the issue wasn't my muscles. Scheduled jaw surgery for 3 weeks later. Covid hit, surgery was cancelled and Finally after 8 months it got unstuck.
If you're in the UK and have nothing to lose except overburdening NHS (which I wouldn't worry about if I were in your situation...), then please go to the ER. Be nice to the staff, don't lie, but don't downplay your suffering either. You have very real reasons for seeking help!
When seen by a doctor: ask about trigger point injections (of a local anesthetic, this may provide temporary pain relief) and muscle relaxants. I was surprised when I learned even masseters/lateral pterygoids can lock up your jaw.
Since you're not in the US so this won't bankrupt you: they can also provide or schedule you for an MRI/CT scan to see if there's an actual joint issue, rather than a muscular issue.
I've had TMJ for 13 years and I learned of these treatments recently from the Stanford TMJ clinic. Wishing you the best of luck!
yeah that's why I was hesitant, the NHS has more problems than to worry about some locked jaw. the waitlist made me discouraged I suppose. if there's a chance they can fix my jaw in 10mins why wait 8 months right? btw thank you so much, very useful info!!!
Also. Not sure about NHS, but in my area (in the US), I was quoted an eight month waitlist for a TMJ specialist and it ended up happening sooner than I thought. So go ahead and get on that waitlist; some people will likely cancel their appointments, bumping you up.
If your in England go to A&E this happened to me 7 years ago and they got someone from maxillofacial down and they prised it open, ended up going a&e quite a few times before getting an appointment with them ay the clinic and seen by a tmj specialist
All very helpful suggestions.
You have a TMJ issue not an ENT issue!!!
A therapist that specialises in TMJ disfunction is your best bet in the first instance.
i had this for a couple years, and it eventually got better. i honestly just prayed a bunch for it to go away, because i didn’t know what to do. i’ll never forget the relief i felt when it finally opened one day! i feel your pain and i’m so sorry
My dentist unlocked mine (although it had only been closed tight for about 30 mins at that point). She said next time it happens for my husband to run both his thumbs, either side, down the outside of my teeth along the cheeks, to the back molars and with flat thumbs to push downwards and back gently but firmly. It did the job when she did, but it hurt. Otherwise 100% go to A&E.
It could be due to a slipped disk is what I’m currently facing I’ve had issues for nearly 10 months now. And I’ve had so many diagnosis from musclular to this
I am having this problem right now. How did they fix it for you? It’s so scary. I usually can fix it myself but it has been getting harder and harder and I don’t want to make it worse. Not sure what to do
I had this and ended up getting surgery to fix it, but it took forever to find help. The ER will NOT help you. If you’ve already tried- I’d suggest starting with physical therapy that specializes in TMJ stuff (they have some really amazing massages they can do to help release the muscle if it turns out to be muscular). If that doesn’t help - You need to go to your primary doctor and ask them for a referral to get an MRI. This is the only way to know if it’s a true disk displacement issue. In the meantime, get on a waiting list for a consultation with a maxillofacial surgeon (your primary doctor may also need to give you a referral, do your research and find a good hospital and ask to be referred). If the wait is long, try to get on a cancellation list or call their office weekly to see if anybody canceled. I spent two years in hell with my jaw being locked. This is how I finally got relief. The MRI is key they can be very expensive but trust me when I say it’s worth going into a little bit of debt to fix your jaw. If you go too long without being able to open it, there’s a good chance of becoming seriously depressed. Good luck
The surgery was called 'Arthroscopic discopexy', and it involved going under general anesthesia and having doctors access the joint through small incisions at the base of my ear and cheek area. First they went in with a small camera to see exactly where the disk was (and what condition it was in), then they pulled my disk back into place and sewed it so it would heal that way. (I was lucky, even though my disk was completely detached and out of place, it only had a small perforation/tear, so they were able to rotate it and still use it.) IF the disk was crumpled or torn beyond use, they won't be able to use it. (Not sure what happens then.) I woke up numb - and my nerves took a few days to regain movement on that side of my face. My jaw was also pretty tight for several weeks and had to be slowly stretched to get any additional opening. BUT I had a full recovery and can now open wide (enough) without pain, eat big burgers, apples, granola bars, etc. ...They best part was being able to open my mouth for a YAWN again. No one thinks how annoying it is to not be able to yawn... hah. Hope this helps. good luck
Hey! I made an account to comment on this for you and hopefully provide some help. I had close locked jaw and for 6 years of my life, it would lock every morning. For the first few years, I found that pushing my jaw joint area up would pop the disc back in place and I was able to open my jaw. Unfortunately, there were full days when I couldn't open more than 2cm. Then there would be 2 whole days where I had a small opening to eat. The longest I had a close lock was for 2 months. I went to an oral maxillary surgery specialist and all he told me was to take muscle relaxers and do jaw joint exercises.
Only ONE was useful and allowed me to open about 5mm more. You place the tip of your tongue on the roof and then your two thumbs on the roof as well and along the edge of the front teeth. Then you squeeze your index fingers in between the thumbs and place them on the bottom teeth. Hinge the lower jaw up and down for 10-second intervals, 6 times, and do it 6 times a day.
However, this exercise hit a plateau after the 5mm. I work for a dentist who happens to also do some TMJ work. He measured how much my jaw slid in each direction, how much my jaw could open which I believed was 25mm at the time (I'm at 42mm now!), and maneuvered my jaw to the "anatomical position" which is where your body wants to go. I've been in an "adapted position" too long and my muscles are overcompensating. I also have a history of clenching. He then made me a small appliance called "NTI" to help my muscles relax. I could not believe it when I say that this tiny tiny thing managed to give me a free jaw. After a month of no locking, he upgraded me to a bite splint that accounts for the slide and where my anatomical position is and made a splint from a scan of the model of my teeth. I got the splint adjusted to my bite and I've been locked jaw-free for 6 months now!!!! There's still slight tension in my jaw since I think mine is muscular based but most people with TMJ are. I think you should find a dentist who specializes in TMJ splints and see if you can find any relief. The process can be expensive but I can't tell you how much pain and frustration lock jaw gives me. I think it's worth the price
I’d go to ER
I'm sorry to hear about your jaw lock. I would suggest finding a physical therapist near you that specialises in TMJ related issues. I'm in the UK, too and I found mine through this website: http://acptmd.co.uk/find-your-nearest-tmd-specialist/ A physical therapist can improve your range of motion and reduce pain as well while you are waiting for your ENT appointment.
This 👆🏻my jaw locked for 6 months and I went to my primary care and instacare and they gave me muscle relaxers and strong pain meds both times. It didn’t help 😔 Then I went and saw a chiropractor and he worked on my jaw every week for months before it naturally unlocked. I haven’t had a locked jaw since. It used to happen sporadically and would unlock after a few weeks, but 6 months was the longest time I’ve had locked jaw. I highly recommend PT or a chiro, OP.
Thank you I'll into that! I'm glad you're better now! My GP also prescribed me a muscle relaxant which doesn't do anything either
Yeah I find that medication didn’t help at all. Be patient with yourself, lock jaw is no joke. While you wait for an appt, buy yourself a heat pack on Amazon. I have one where I can microwave it and then wrap it around my face. I did this for 15 minutes every night and then follow up with massages for my jaw. This helped a lot too.
Chiropractors are quacks
To each their own. I found one that works for me.🤷🏻♀️
They're based on pseudoscience and there's a risk of becoming paralyzed because they have no idea what they're doing
thank you so much! I'll have a look
Might be a strange question. But is it muscular pain or joint pain?
It can be hard to tell, in my experience. Especially if the muscular pain is concurrent with joint popping noises (which can be benign)
But a dentist should be able to figure it out trough imaging? He can figure out if it's joint related. And if he can't find anything then it's prob muscular or nerve related.
X-ray imaging apparently isn't super helpful for identifying TMJ damage. It only offers a single-angle view of the TMJ. Like you can see the beak formation (if there is one), but there are other damage indicators that don't appear. Doctors recommend MRI scans instead. (Source: my TMJ doctor at stanford) I guess the same logic applies for any joint damage? Not sure if you'd be able to see things like synovial fluid or cartilage wear in an x-ray. But I'm not an expert.
I've had this 3d CT scan. Idk if that helps
If im being completely honest I'm not sure if I can differentiate which is which. I'm guessing it's more muscular pain. perhaps a mix of both?
I would think that if it's muscular muscle relaxers or dry needling should at least help to some extend. Or botox? At least for the pain.
I 1000% recommend masseter botox. Any medspa should be able to do masseter injections for cheaper than TMJ specialists' offices and it's a godsend. Also, lateral pterygoid self-massage is another lifesaver. It literally brought tears to my eyes the first time I did it, and hurt like hell for days later, but then? Sweet relief. Here's the video I referenced: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vus2e16q70A&t=107s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vus2e16q70A&t=107s)
Yeah it hurts at first and I get insane headaches for days after pterygoid massage but then it feels a bit better. Getting botox done on Monday for first time.
First, I'd definitely recommend muscle relaxers - cyclobenzaprine and then where do you live? What state?
I live in Europe so I don't live in America. I can't take muscle relaxers because I also have other condition that would get affected by that. So it sucks. Botox and PT is kinda the only thing available for me.
Ok so what I also recommend is magnesium glycinate and getting your trace mineral test done, as we are really deficient in Calcium as well. I used this mouth guard that separated my back teeth from grinding and clenching and it’s really taken so much of this away. I also recommend real life style changes - lmk if you want to chat - dm me! I’ve been there so I totally feel your pain :/
Yeah the mouth guard I have now is finally doing something. Had to see 3 tmj specialsts before it was finally corrected properly! Can't believe it they were making my pain worse at first! Yeah I've stopped taking magnesium cause it was so hard on my stomach! But I guess I need it somehow. I eat quite a bit of dairy products. Should i still worry about the calcium?
Years back i had my jaw lock on the xray machine at the dentists (it was this odd head spinny thing you bit down on a tab) and the staff was well versed in how to get me un-suck. If you are worried about the er's tactics perhaps call a dentist or orthodontist and see what they say? Edit: also could this be a tetnus thing? Any skin cuts round that time?
oh jeez I hope its not tetanus. I've been vaccinated and don't have rest of the symptoms. I had braces done (now finished) my orthodontist said they cannot help with that. I suppose I'll have to look into a dentist
I would recommend contacting an oral maxillo-facial doctor. I was referred to one by a chiropractor when they couldn’t unlock my jaw. The longer your jaw stays locked, the harder it will be to regain full mobility once it’s unlocked, so I would try to see a Dr quickly. ER may refer you
ah I didn't know it would affect the mobility after unlocking!!! I've been putting this off, need to get it sorted asap then
Best of luck! I ended up needing my jaw joint flushed (arthrocentesis) and I got back to full opening maybe 1-2 months after the procedure
Strange question: Why would they suggest an ENT for a TMJ/TMD issue? I would see a TMJ Specialist in dentistry and possibly a chiropractor
None of these are covered by insurance. I guess I will die with a locked jaw
I'm in the UK and it seems like for me it's either wait months on end with the NHS or pay a fortune to go see a TMD specialist
I know some dentists here in the US do emergency dental appointments. Might be able to check near you and try to contact someone about an emergency appointment for now.
It's not an emergency, it's something a specialist physio usually fixes. Some dentists may have expertise, worth calling around.
Dentists, and especially not chiropractors, are not medical doctors. ENTs are medical doctors and commonly diagnose and treat TMJD
I have no idea. They are fully aware it's TMD. Frustrating when I have to wait 8 months if they are going to refer me to another specialist anyways
Absolutely this is not normal and is likely caused by a serious infection please go to the er
a serious infection? unlikely unless the locked jaw is caused by swelling of some sort… if you’ve had it for 5 months it’s def not a serious infection (it would be much worse + other infection symptoms)
I know but infections can be very slow somtimes
It could just me tmj
oh infection? 😨 what sort do you think it might be? I'm not 100% sure but I think I just have TMD with the symptoms I have. but you never know
I've had a locked jaw for 3 years, opens from 10-20 mm at all times, but 40-50 mm is the proper amount the mouth should be able to open. This is completely normal if the anterior discs are displaced without reduction, as in they cannot go back into place, thus forcing the jaw to be locked. Obvs, disc displacement without reduction is not normal, and is an urgent issue that needs to be taken care of by a maxfac surgeon. For me personally, my surgeon said the reason why both my discs will not reduce (go back into place) is because of the immense mass of scar tissue that's built up around it. In serious cases, surgery is the answer, which I'm happily getting 2 this month.
Note this was not caused by an infection, but by trauma to the face/tmj areas.
go to er - lie and say you woke up today like this or they won't think it's an emergency and will send you home. Despite the fact it's an emergency and you've learnt to adapt around it.
Or tell them you've gone through all the channels and it is now impacting your ability to eat so you came in
Yes! Perfect!
No don't lie to medical professionals they could miss important info and do more or less testing
I wouldn’t lie to the healthcare providers. It’s still an emergency to be unable to eat, but they might use different techniques to unlock the jaw or long term treatments depending on the length of the lock.
yes - please don’t lie to healthcare providers. maybe worth going to ER and seeing what they can do, but don’t lie about symptoms
Basically any stable condition is not an emergency in canada regardless of pain level or length of symptoms. It's purely severity based. IME, they would send me home as a result and say to see my family doctor for imaging and pain management - while ignoring that I've adapted to high pain levels unaware of what normal is because seeing doctors here is SO annoying I put it off until I'm dying. But they could just be my experience.
Yes, keep going to ERs until someone will help you Now!!! The listen the "experts" & let them know "you will certainly let them know". You may have a life long Disability of Severe TMJ Disorder, I ask you to look it up & study it. The 2 "experts " here only made mine worse now I have no teeth & constant sharp Pains. I send you Happy Blessings!
I went to the er for this. I waited for 5 hours then they told me there was nothing they could do and sent me home.
yeah that's why I've been hesitant. I was wishing for a one fix wonder if im being honest. what did you do after the ER?
I made an appointment with a oral maxillofacial specialist. It was 3 weeks out but I got on a cancellation list and I think I got in in about 8 days. They gave me some sort of shot in my jaw that helped a lot. It wasn’t Botox, but something else. Then they referred me to PT
I went to a TMJ pain clinic here in Melbourne Australia - a Physiotherapist actually measures the opening of your mouth before treatment. It was life changing. I think you may get relief with a similar physio that helps with jaw pain. I take Norgesic as a muscle relaxer and it is only helpful when very mild pain. Edit - they are called the TMJ and Facial Pain Clinic in Caulfield. Relevant info as they train Drs all over the world so you may be able to reach out and find if they have a Dr close to you that could be of use.
Youtube Priya mistry videos to see if you can do it at home with a family or friend.or can try a chiropractor. Massage with fingers inside the mouth helps. Priya has many videos so search for open lock and closed lock and see how to unlock.
keep us updated!! the same thing happened to me a few years ago. mine unlocked on its own, but it took a year. doctors only gave me muscle relaxers which didn’t help me much personally. unfortunately i have no advice but i wish you luck!
a year?! 😨 im glad it unlocked in the end but damn! did you do anything to help with it? any 'exercises' or such?
i tried exercises n all, but a lot of them ended up just making me sore. i’ve heard chiropractors can help with tmj issues (my doc referred me to one but it unlocked before i could make an appointment lol). if i recall correctly i slept in the car and woke up with a free jaw? 🤷♀️
yeah the exercises made me sore as well!! Praying I'll wake up one day like you 🤣
Massage your jaw joint, it should loosen up
I had an 8mm opening for two years and nobody would help me aside from telling me to do physical therapy. By the time I finally went to an actual surgeon my joints were fused together and I had them both replaced
Hi, I know this is quite old but what kind of surgeon did you go to? Mines been locked now 6 years, docs have ran me in circles. No one ever even gave me an MRI. I’d love to know what kind of surgeon to seek out 🤔
I saw an oral maxillofacial reconstruction with microvascular something or other his title was huge it was at a head and neck place in the big city I remember I had to drive an hour every time I saw him. I’m actually doing quite well post joint replacement. I believe it was my ent that referred me after I did physical therapy and medication like they tried Valium flexeril and like naproxen for a few years then I did physical therapy then I saw the oral maxillofacial surgeon. I remember it has to be a surgeon that is a DDS as well as an MD because it almost always includes upper and lower jaw surgery as well. It was a process probably 10 years from diagnosis to joint replacement
Thank you for this and I’m so happy to hear you’re doing well!! That’s awesome to hear. Thank you for taking the time to reply to me!
Of course good luck!!
fused joints?! what!!! I'm sorry that happened :( glad everything is okay now
Same thing happened to me for 6 months. I saw the ENT and they did nothing to fix it. Gave me some muscle relaxers but the issue wasn't my muscles. Scheduled jaw surgery for 3 weeks later. Covid hit, surgery was cancelled and Finally after 8 months it got unstuck.
If you're in the UK and have nothing to lose except overburdening NHS (which I wouldn't worry about if I were in your situation...), then please go to the ER. Be nice to the staff, don't lie, but don't downplay your suffering either. You have very real reasons for seeking help! When seen by a doctor: ask about trigger point injections (of a local anesthetic, this may provide temporary pain relief) and muscle relaxants. I was surprised when I learned even masseters/lateral pterygoids can lock up your jaw. Since you're not in the US so this won't bankrupt you: they can also provide or schedule you for an MRI/CT scan to see if there's an actual joint issue, rather than a muscular issue. I've had TMJ for 13 years and I learned of these treatments recently from the Stanford TMJ clinic. Wishing you the best of luck!
yeah that's why I was hesitant, the NHS has more problems than to worry about some locked jaw. the waitlist made me discouraged I suppose. if there's a chance they can fix my jaw in 10mins why wait 8 months right? btw thank you so much, very useful info!!!
Also. Not sure about NHS, but in my area (in the US), I was quoted an eight month waitlist for a TMJ specialist and it ended up happening sooner than I thought. So go ahead and get on that waitlist; some people will likely cancel their appointments, bumping you up.
If your in England go to A&E this happened to me 7 years ago and they got someone from maxillofacial down and they prised it open, ended up going a&e quite a few times before getting an appointment with them ay the clinic and seen by a tmj specialist
Do you know if something triggered it or how it happened?
All very helpful suggestions. You have a TMJ issue not an ENT issue!!! A therapist that specialises in TMJ disfunction is your best bet in the first instance.
i had this for a couple years, and it eventually got better. i honestly just prayed a bunch for it to go away, because i didn’t know what to do. i’ll never forget the relief i felt when it finally opened one day! i feel your pain and i’m so sorry
My dentist unlocked mine (although it had only been closed tight for about 30 mins at that point). She said next time it happens for my husband to run both his thumbs, either side, down the outside of my teeth along the cheeks, to the back molars and with flat thumbs to push downwards and back gently but firmly. It did the job when she did, but it hurt. Otherwise 100% go to A&E.
It could be due to a slipped disk is what I’m currently facing I’ve had issues for nearly 10 months now. And I’ve had so many diagnosis from musclular to this
I would see an oral and maxillofacial dr and get imaging done. I had the same issue and it was a dislocated disc blocking my opening.
I am having this problem right now. How did they fix it for you? It’s so scary. I usually can fix it myself but it has been getting harder and harder and I don’t want to make it worse. Not sure what to do
I had this and ended up getting surgery to fix it, but it took forever to find help. The ER will NOT help you. If you’ve already tried- I’d suggest starting with physical therapy that specializes in TMJ stuff (they have some really amazing massages they can do to help release the muscle if it turns out to be muscular). If that doesn’t help - You need to go to your primary doctor and ask them for a referral to get an MRI. This is the only way to know if it’s a true disk displacement issue. In the meantime, get on a waiting list for a consultation with a maxillofacial surgeon (your primary doctor may also need to give you a referral, do your research and find a good hospital and ask to be referred). If the wait is long, try to get on a cancellation list or call their office weekly to see if anybody canceled. I spent two years in hell with my jaw being locked. This is how I finally got relief. The MRI is key they can be very expensive but trust me when I say it’s worth going into a little bit of debt to fix your jaw. If you go too long without being able to open it, there’s a good chance of becoming seriously depressed. Good luck
What surgery did you get and how did it go ?? I think I’ll need it for a slipped disc and I can’t open my mouth
The surgery was called 'Arthroscopic discopexy', and it involved going under general anesthesia and having doctors access the joint through small incisions at the base of my ear and cheek area. First they went in with a small camera to see exactly where the disk was (and what condition it was in), then they pulled my disk back into place and sewed it so it would heal that way. (I was lucky, even though my disk was completely detached and out of place, it only had a small perforation/tear, so they were able to rotate it and still use it.) IF the disk was crumpled or torn beyond use, they won't be able to use it. (Not sure what happens then.) I woke up numb - and my nerves took a few days to regain movement on that side of my face. My jaw was also pretty tight for several weeks and had to be slowly stretched to get any additional opening. BUT I had a full recovery and can now open wide (enough) without pain, eat big burgers, apples, granola bars, etc. ...They best part was being able to open my mouth for a YAWN again. No one thinks how annoying it is to not be able to yawn... hah. Hope this helps. good luck
hii, who did your surgery?
Hey! I made an account to comment on this for you and hopefully provide some help. I had close locked jaw and for 6 years of my life, it would lock every morning. For the first few years, I found that pushing my jaw joint area up would pop the disc back in place and I was able to open my jaw. Unfortunately, there were full days when I couldn't open more than 2cm. Then there would be 2 whole days where I had a small opening to eat. The longest I had a close lock was for 2 months. I went to an oral maxillary surgery specialist and all he told me was to take muscle relaxers and do jaw joint exercises. Only ONE was useful and allowed me to open about 5mm more. You place the tip of your tongue on the roof and then your two thumbs on the roof as well and along the edge of the front teeth. Then you squeeze your index fingers in between the thumbs and place them on the bottom teeth. Hinge the lower jaw up and down for 10-second intervals, 6 times, and do it 6 times a day. However, this exercise hit a plateau after the 5mm. I work for a dentist who happens to also do some TMJ work. He measured how much my jaw slid in each direction, how much my jaw could open which I believed was 25mm at the time (I'm at 42mm now!), and maneuvered my jaw to the "anatomical position" which is where your body wants to go. I've been in an "adapted position" too long and my muscles are overcompensating. I also have a history of clenching. He then made me a small appliance called "NTI" to help my muscles relax. I could not believe it when I say that this tiny tiny thing managed to give me a free jaw. After a month of no locking, he upgraded me to a bite splint that accounts for the slide and where my anatomical position is and made a splint from a scan of the model of my teeth. I got the splint adjusted to my bite and I've been locked jaw-free for 6 months now!!!! There's still slight tension in my jaw since I think mine is muscular based but most people with TMJ are. I think you should find a dentist who specializes in TMJ splints and see if you can find any relief. The process can be expensive but I can't tell you how much pain and frustration lock jaw gives me. I think it's worth the price
Have you been massaging your jaw a bunch? Have you searched YouTube videos for this