I was just eating dinner & went to take a bite (after having been eating for the last 10 minutes) & felt this SUPER sharp pain in my jaw on the right side in the back, behind the angle of the jaw...& maybe down the neck a little?
I immediately went "oh, ouch!" but didn't think anything of it, then I tried to take another bite & it happened again. Its a little...sensitive when I push on the area, but I have to push pretty hard to feel that. It doesn't hurt when I yawn, but I was too scared to keep eating so I stopped. Now I don't know what to think! Everything online points to TMJ, but Im not a teeth clencher...& I don't think I grind my teeth @ night.... Im kind of @ a loss as what this could be, or how to go about researching what it could be...or what to do!
Thanks if you have any advice/recommendations!
Re: Strange, sudden onset of unilateral jaw pain?
Just as an fyi, a lot of people don't think or know that they grind their teeth at night (including myself). But the evidence is usually clear on xrays and/or an exam from a dentist. A skilled dentist would be able to tell you if your jaw pain could be from TMJ, grinding, clenching, a problem with your bite or something else. Facial and dental pain can be tricky to pinpoint. GL!
I'm a licensed dental hygienist. Here is my input:...It's possible that you just dislocated it a little and it went back into place.. The TMJ can be odd. You can "bruise" it from chewing something chewy or just biting down wrong. Hopefully it will go away on it's own. If it's not painful or not happening ALL the time there's probably not much that can be done about it. It pain is persistent (longer than 2 weeks) I would make an appointment with your dentist or a TMJ specialist.
Ditto PP about grinding. You may not know you are doing it. Usually with grinding though, your spouse would hear it while you sleep. Is it possible you are clenching while running? I know you are working on training for your 5k....
Try to do some massaging at the TMJ area and take some ibuprohen as needed. Avoid chewy foods for a while and try to chew on the other side for a few days.
P.S How is Cooper doing? I bet it's hard to not be able to take him running with you. Hugo is THE BEST running partner. I cant imagine doing it without him.
Thanks ladies! I really appreciate your input!!