I can move my jaw on affected side - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

pstuart · 04-26-2008, 01:21 PM

Oh - here is something else - only on the side that has crepitus and originally hurt - if I press 2 fingers in front of my ear where the joint sounds are, and slowly open my mouth, I distinctly feel and hear the jaw pop or displace. I can't do it on the other side. What does this indicate? I know this probably sounds stupid, but I think my condoyle (sp?) is sometimes dislocated. I can also feel in front of mu ear what feels like cartilege - bad side only. Thanls again - so many of you have experience and expertise -

allison3tkb · 04-26-2008, 03:27 PM

You more than likely have a disc that is displaced. I have both discs displaced anteriorly (laying in front of condoyle) I also hear the crepitus. My tmj doctor told me that the sound i am hearing is the condolye moving and the condoyle is probably jagged, has little notches or it is bone fragments that are rubbing together. The condoyle is the actual bone. It is shaped like a fist. If you have crepitus then your condoyle is not the way it should be. Are you in any treatment right now? If so what is it?

pstuart · 04-26-2008, 03:52 PM

no - I haven't seen anyone yet - I'm a teacher and waiting for June... a year ago I remember pushing up hard on my right jaw, soon developed an ear ache - my gp just looked and told me tmj - since I have developed loud crepitus only on closing - not opening; deviated opening and closing, lots of pain in jaw, under jaw, behind ear, back of head - terrible neck pain. I do shihatsu massage and he began to massage anterior neck muscles - scalenes - which seem to help. The pain moves around and no pain when sleeping... also the indentations in front of the ears seem off - one higher than the other. I think a lot of this is muscular. I swear I can feel the displaced disc in front of my ear - kind of scrunchy - thanks for any input...