Dances With Poodles

Oooowwie This morning I bit pretty aggressively on a rather hard cookie and I felt it happening Now my jaw keeps snapping when I yawn or just open my mouth widely.

It doesn't hurt at all, it's just a little stiff, but it's a creepy feeling when it snaps! Has anyone else ever had this? Does it go away by itself?

Or am I a freak of nature?

Lemurian

Sounds like you may have aggravated your TMJ (temporomandibular joint). It will probably go away on it's own.

Dances With Poodles

Wow Lem, now that's a good word for playing Hangman

Lemurian

I couldn't spell it. Had to look it up.

PhoenixBrigid

Ouch!! Ditto what Lem said. It might not be a bad idea to call your dr as well, and get their opinion on if you need to see someone about it.

fisher & sons

It might not go away on its own. My jaw has been doing the same thing for as long as I can remember. It acts up every once in a while... to the point where it will sort of lock in place for a couple seconds.

LittleMilkJug

Is this the same as Lock Jaw?

Kyls

My jaw "clicks." Not always, but sometimes I really notice it, like if I'm eating something really chewy. And other people can hear it too.

rooney20

^ Mine does that now and again too...hate it when its really loud so other people can hear it....but it usually passes after a little while

Lemurian

No. Lockjaw is also called tetanus. That is an infectious disease of the central nervous system. It can be prevented with an anti-tetanus injection, and it is standard practive here in the US to give a tetanus shot to anyone who has had a puncture wound. The benefits of the shot are supposed to last ten years, although I have been given a second injection after only five years.

Tetanus spores enter the body through a puncture site. The spores tend to be harbored in hot damp areas where there is a lot of fungal matter in the soil. That's why it's important to wear shoes when walking outside.

TMJ isn't an infection. Problems with the TMJ often heal on their own. But people who have connective tissue problems can have more difficulty.

It's also possible to dislocate the jaw but that is very, very painful (been there, done that--trust me, it's nearly unbearable). Since Suzan said she wasn't feeling pain, it seems like TMJ is the culprit. And if this were a serious TMJ problem it is likely that there would be pain. So I'm just guessing that waiting a couple of days would seem like a good idea. If there's a problem after that, a visit to the doctor would be advisable.

(....And a disclaimer: I am not a medical professional of any sort. I'm just a person who has had a lot of health issues so I've done a lot of reading on the subject. When in doubt, always consult a doctor.)

Yellow Mustang Girl

Oh, it sounds painful But I'm glad it doesn't hurt.

My jaw sometimes snaps if I get it a little out of joint or chew too much or something

Lain

That's happened to me before. Sometimes I'm afraid I've broken my jaw.

Quarterley

Sorry, I couldn't focus on reading other posts after that.

navami

Dr recomends tetanus shots every ten years ...just to be on the safe side; in case you step on a nail or something rusted.

sit_spin

Mine does this, too. It doesn't seem uncommon, either...one of my fellow voice majors, a first year student, recently discovered that he can't sing without his jaw "clicking".