What 'triggers' your TMJ?

[Lori3]

Has anyone been able to figure out what triggers your TMJ discomfort? Mine seems to be so irregular. Eating doesn't necessarily make mine hurt. Today I was sitting and visiting with a friend and started to feel ear discomfort and sure enough I opened my mouth wide and felt the pulling and pain down my jaw. I did read that everytime you swallow, talk, smile, etc., your jaw and/or surrounding area is involved.

[paintitbetter]

Nothing triggers it. Absolutely nothing! I have written journals documenting what I eat, stress level, weather etc. etc. This thing does whatever it wants. I have had flare ups last an hour, a day, a week, or a month. I have had the good days do the same. Who knows??? Sometimes I'll be sitting there and it will come over me like a black cloud.
Mark

[venusfairy]

Hi
I just had a four day attack that was the worst I have ever had....I started having this pain about six months ago and was just told by my dentist Mon that it sounds like TMJ..my jaw doesnt lock up ...but all of a sudden it feels like I have toothache and the pain will go to my face,neck,throat,ear ,head..and it gets very severe at times..800 mg of motrin doesnt do much good..I have a partial plate that he told me to take out because my bite is screwed up and that has seemed to help..been basically pain free except for neck pain for three days but I am constantly worried that it is going to come back...have any of you had the pain to be very severe?? Thanks in advance....oh I do see a relation to my stress and hormones in relation to my flare ups

[*Cat*]

Hi

Wow, triggers......I'm new with this, but I have noticed a couple for me. If I get stressed out or start worrying, my jaw will hurt...almost throb at times. If I eat some carrot sticks(which I HATE to give up!), about an hour later I'm in pain for the rest of the night.

Stress seems to be the biggest factor, because I don't have control over it. The pain sometimes confuses me, and I worry maybe it is my teeth instead. It is definately frustrating.

Cat

[thisstarr]

Hello Everyone,

I know there must be things that trigger my tmj but I cant seem to figure out what triggers mine either! I have wrote down everything I did, everything I ate, when the pain was bad when it was ok, and I cant seem to know the big question "WHY" and "WHAT" is triggering my pain. I agree with Cat on Stress...I know when I get upset, mad and stressed out, or if I am yelling at someone,(boyfriend) or if someone is talking loud to me it makes my pain worse! Loud nosies like music also tigger my pain. I barly listen to music anymore...

I have pain 24-7 but at times my pain gets so bad it will just hit me like a lighting bolt! one minute I could be talking to someone, reading, watching tv, or even trying to sleep and it will stop me dead in my tracks everytime, and I dont know what brought on my pain..

I just try to lay down and put a heating pad on my face and jaw or take a hot shower and let the water run on my head for 20 mins it seems to relax the muscle a bit!

Take care,

Starr