Hi momjsta,
i'm sorry to read that you are experiencing more problems with your tmj. Everything you described I have had at one time or another, sadly.

It really sounds like something caused your tmj to flare up and it could be a host of reasons - additional stress, problems getting a good night's sleep, ate something too chewy or hard, yawned too big, pillow or mattress might need changing, bite splint may need adjusting, change in medications - the list goes on and on.

If I were you, i'd call the tmj clinic and practically beg them to please see you now as you are in a lot of pain. Take your bite splint as it may need adjusting or depending on its age, replacement.

While waiting to see them, change your diet to an all liquid or soft foods diet. Try chewing and talking as little as possible. Evaluate your posture (check out www.Nismat.Org/ptcor/tmj/ for pictures and exercises for tmj posture problems). Reduce your stress somehow and look at any medications you are taking and change a muscle relaxant (or add), etc. Also ask your fp to refer you to physical therapy and make sure to see a therapist who is trained in tmj and neck disorders.

This is about all I can suggest. I hope and pray that you get some relief soon. Take care and

god bless...
Carol

I just wrote you in private message, not knowing that you had responded to my first post. Thank you for writing, I am trying to do most of those things already. Changed to soft foods, finally got some pain relief from just going to the er one night and telling them that I couldn't stand another minute of the pain. My jaw has died down a little, the only thing that was really freaking me out was the pain in my gland on the left. Which by the way is the side that prominently hurts anyway. The clinic still cannot see me any sooner, that's okay I can deal until then. I see my fp tomorrow and hope to get an mri ordered to check further on the joint. Thank you for your input and feel free to write anytime.
Thanks
momjsta