UNITED STATES—I am going to be completely frank and honest with this conversation that I have been dealing with some medical issues. Something transpired late January, the beginning of February, where my jaw started to lock. It was locking and popping for at least a week nonstop, and it was beyond painful where I could not describe it with words. It continued to bother me, so I went to my dentist. I had to be at the dental office for like three hours, as they prodded my mouth. Open here, open there, close here, it just irritated my jaw and mouth even more.
The more movements, the opening and closing, the prodding caused more irritation. While my jaw was locking and forcing it to pop to unlock it, there was still pain. I couldn’t bite a burger that large in size. I still have to cut it into smaller pieces to properly eat. I can’t bite a whole apple at all, I haven’t had anything crunchy or chewy because I’m afraid of aggravating the jaw more.
The dentist said you have some wisdom teeth that have to be removed. They haven’t yet because they don’t suspect that those wisdom teeth are causing the pain in the jaw. I was referred to the oral surgeon. They prodded and looked at the mouth, couldn’t give me a diagnosis either. Placed on a strict soft diet and then had a follow-up in a few weeks. Came back and realized the mouth is misaligned and this discussion of TMJ comes front and center. It’s a disorder involving the jaw where it can be overused, arthritis or something more serious that might result in surgery.
I’m referred for an MRI scan. I hate any type of testing that requires you scheduling an appointment with certain equipment because it can take weeks or months to actually have that appointment. I recall when I had to have an echocardiogram because of my excessive heart rate, and it took almost six months before I had the actual appointment. The MRI was almost a month in advance scheduled. Your stress level just raises as you wait for potential answers.
I don’t know if anyone has ever had an MRI, but they’re not comfortable. You are in this contraption where you’re explicitly told NOT to move. You have this contraption over your head and in my case I was having images taken of my jaw so imagine, trying to remain calm, holding your breathe, trying not to wiggle, while you have to place an item in your mouth without moving your head so that they can get accurate pictures of your jaw to see what could be an issue.
As I am writing this column, I am waiting on those results which I was informed would be found in about a week. I guess my goal of this column is when you are facing a medical issue you want answers, much sooner than later because for me I haven’t been sleeping at all for almost two months. I recently got my first night of good sleep where I slept 12 hours, and I think it is the direct result of just being burnt out from all the doctor appointments, follow-ups, procedures and not having any definitive answers at this point.
In the midst of this process, I have started doing something I’ve never done before, eating all my food on the right side of my mouth out of fear of aggravating the left side of my jaw that I feel pain in when I try to open my mouth wide, or at its worst during the nighttime hours when I yawn excessively. Every single time I yawn that pain is triggered on the left side, and I feel it instantly and it still hasn’t ceased. Is it as elevated as it was in the first week in February?
No, but it’s there, and now I have to arrange another follow-up with the oral surgeon to examine the results of the MRI, then a follow-up with my PCP, and then another possible follow-up with a dentist regarding a potential bite guard because they suspect I’m grinding my teeth at night. I even forgot to mention I had to have lab work done before the MRI and after the MRI. So it just feels never ending. Not saying doctors just order test to order them, but it feels like it at times.
I hope that not to be the truth, but I know some probably do, but I just want an answer. What is wrong with my jaw and what can be done to fix it because anyone who knows me, is well aware I have a low pain tolerance. If I’m suffering significant pain where I can’t get out of the bed or move without difficulty; it is a problem and I want a solution.
