it sounds like you do have tmj----get checked out by a doctor. cracking your jaw is not good for it and it isnt normal. sometimes the jaw doesnt hurt---later perhaps it will ---who k nows. you need to get that checked out.

Please give up your habit of cracking your jaw, i can tell you why! I fractured my jaw years ago and didnt realise it and a few years later, i found it quite "relaxing" or "comforting" to do the same crack my jaw. Well i am 6 surgeries further down the line, i have had a rib graft, titanium joint and then titanium joint rejection which meant it had to be removed, repair surgery and finally bi-lateral Lorenz replacement joints, not funny i can assure you, and when i think back to maybe 12 years ago when i sat and cracked my jaw for fun ! well i wish the hell i hadnt done that so please take my advice and seek help and stop cracking your jaw

Take Care
Samara

Popping and cracking the jaw can also lead to TMJ and later to degenerative joint disease or arthritis. If you feel that you are needing to pop the jaw because it feels "out-of-joint," see a dentist who specializes in jaw problems to check to see if you actually have TMJ or that you just have a bad habit.

Stop popping!!

God bless...
Carol

Yes, please take the advice here. I've had tmj for about one and a half years, and recently, some grating sounds and cracking sounds have been happening. The grating when I chew, the cracking when I move my jaw side to side, or turn my head, or in many different situations - even when walking. I read where someone else described this cracking sensation - it sounded right - like somone tapping a pen on a metal desk...

Anyways, it's not good - in my case the disc is out of place, so the cracking is bone on bone.

Do get checked out - maybe you need an mri - maybe you can be helped with splints - but from this point on in your life, I think it would be wise to baby your jaw with common sense (no tough steaks, chewy candy, etc), don't over-open (even place hand under chin when yawning, etc) and never, never crack intentionally.

TMJ can get very serious, but if you catch it in time, it does self-resolve in many cases.

All the best,
Ess

remember that mris are only 20% accurate.

Ive been under stress and anxiety lately and have been clenching my jaws as a result of comfort or habit im not sure although my jaw feels fine if i open my mouth fast wide open i can hear a cracking sound around my ear/tempel area

can this be TMJ ? ive also had some bad headaches lately and some long term neck pain and urges to crack and move my neck sometimes even some ear pain.

to add i can move or click something in the back of my head like a muscle or something like that any ideas ?

and last of all ive never payed 2 much notice but are my teeth on both sides ( upper and lower set) meant to connect because only one side dose ( right) and the left is where i can hear the cracking around my ear?

thanks

mike

this does sound like tmj. you should go find a good specialist----and dont crack your jaw.

as in dentist ?

can lower back pain be connected to tmj ?

yes lower back pain can be connected to tmj---a specialist that im talking about is not just a dentist---one that has experience with tmd and how to treat it. if you need help finding one let me know and ill help you out.

Hi Mike17,
I personally think it's difficult to say you have TMJ (or actually TMD - temporomandibular dysfunction) at this point right now. I think you are definitely headed towards it, tho. The clenching caused by stress can cause you to have a host of TMJ, head, neck, shoulders, and back symptoms. You also mentioned that your bite is off. Combine the two - bad bite & clenching and you have the recipe for TMJ. BUT, it can be stopped in its tracks with proper treatment and stress reduction. I usually list a bunch of self-help methods at this point but feel you might need to go right to a bite splint therapy. The bite splint will balance the bite and helps relieve some pressure from clenching on the jaw joints. It doesn't work for everyone, but it is a tried & proven method that has helped many people.

Both neuromuscular dentists and FJO (functional joint orthotic) dentists focus on treating the whole body, not just the jaw joint. The jaw joints are somewhat of an axis of the body. If something is wrong with this joint, the muscles, etc., can all be affected throughout the entire body.

Work on relaxation methods of any kind. Look at your posture especially when you are in front of a computer. You don't want to stretch your face towards the monitor. It pulls at the muscles and tendons of the TMJ area. Keep your back reasonably straight with the shoulders back and down, head over the body and chin down slightly. Relax your mouth - DO NOT let the teeth come together or touch ever (try not to even when chewing), tongue should be resting on roof of my mouth and lips together or slightly apart. I do know someone who puts his tongue between his teeth to stop clenching and it works for him. Get massages, jump into hot tubs, relax. Try not to ever click or pop your jaw. It wears down the ligaments and bones. Go on a soft food diet for a few weeks and try talking a little less to give the muscles a break. It can be "fixed."

I hope and pray that you will find the help that you need.
God bless...
Carol

wearing my backpack causes pain in my shoulder is this tmj related ?

it is possible that it is. please dont wear your backpack only on one shoulder---use both straps. I know that this caused a ton of problems for me. try making every load balanced---groceries etc. it did a lot for me.

when i yawn or open my mouth wide i get a spasm like movement , also in the same area i can click or move something in the back of my head and now my throat feels like theirs a hook scraping down on it ( 2 describe the pain , it dosnt really hurt but feel uncomfortable).

ps

( to understand this reply you may need to read some of my previous post as i have suffered from anxiety )

yes I get this as well. since you are haveing muscle spasams(excuse my spelling) have you considered neuromuscular dentistry? It sure sounds like you could use one. I can find you a good one if you want. just let me know.

is it possible to get tmj from sinus problems being left to breath out of my mouth most of the time would this change the shape of my jaw ( as i feel they don't match) or is just a stupid thing to say ?

i have been doing a lot of exams lately causing me to sit in one position for a long period of time , during these exams i need to twist and turn my back , its became a habit in a way now as i crack my back from when i twist , my shoulder blade or area around their feels swollen at time and is uncomfortable to sit on.

final comment is it normal to being able to click something in the back of your head ? ( to describe it , its kind of like clicking your tounge to make that "click" sound but in the back of my head )

im planning to go physio for my back and neck as i have had a few spasms in the back area.

i dont think its possible to get it from sinus problems. i have had majoer sinus problems in the past and have not gotten worse. you could check withe the doctor on that one.

try to make yourself as comfy as possible. dont do the things that hurt.

Hi Mike,
Sinus problems are closely related to TMJ and usually doctors won't find anything wrong if checked. I wish I could have all the money back that I paid to doctors over the years just to have them say - "nothing is wrong with your sinuses" or ears, etc. It's frustrating.

Breathing with your mouth open all the time is usually not a good idea. I don't know if I can explain why well enough but here goes. One - you need the natural air filters of your nose to ward off germs, etc. Two - keeping the jaw in a relatively closed position does stabilize the joint. That's why we are always told to keep out teeth apart at all time BUT the lips together (or slightly apart) with tongue resting on the roof of the mouth. And a possible third - breathing thru my mouth puts a little more pressure on my jaw joints. They might not for other tho.

Personally I can't see where breathing thru the mouth might change the "shape" of your jaw. It is quite common for the human body to differ in size and shape from the left side to the right side, including the jaw (only a very, very little bit). Is your mouth deviating or shifting when you open and close it?

I would imagine that you have been under a great deal of stress lately.
Stress is very bad for TMJ. Use just about any method you can think of to relax your body. Massage Therapy is a great way in my opinion. Getting good sleep is essential. If you are having problems breathing thru your nose, you might ask your doc for a nasal spray for nights.

Are you wearing a bite splint right now? A good one can really help when we are stressing and clenching/grinding our teeth. A neuromuscular dentist seems to be who you should see. PM DyanMatteson your zip code and she can locate some names for you.

The back-of-the-head "click" sounds like you might be cracking or popping your neck, but I also get a quiet click sound deep inside my head (aside from my neck cracking) and don't really know what it is.

I also just recently posted a list of self-help methods to TenaciousE "Tmj ~ Living in Pain ~ . . . See if any of these might help. Please ask any questions you have. I don't know if there is a stupid question when it comes to TMJ.

Take care and God bless...
Carol

hello ,

just wondering where i can buy a bite splint from and what is it exactly i do no it sits between the teeth an levels it i believe.