I went to get a massage this weekend (a gift from my step-mom who is a magical human being). The masseuse is a friend of my sister and since I felt weird about being nekkid around a friend-of-a-friend I asked her to concentrate on my head and shoulders, since that is where I hold my stress. About halfway through the massage I mentioned off-hand, "Oh yea - I think I clench my teeth pretty badly at night, so it might be good to massage my jaw a little."
That was it for the rest of the massage.
Before I left the masseuse told me that my jaw is in pretty bad shape. The instant she tried to massage it it clenched up insanely tight. This could be linked to my headaches and shoulder aches, not to mention the jaw-popping sounds.
What, me, stress?
*p.s. I really, really don't want to get a night mouth guard. I have no need to be that unsexy or to be reminded on a daily basis of how horribly the inside of my mouth actually smells. The masseuse say she can do a few sessions of jaw massage and that might help. Frankly, laying in a quiet room and having someone rub my face sounds a LOT better than making D$ sleep with the worlds weakest hockey player every night. Opinions?
**Diamond Skill from Damien Hirst
I hear you on the mouth guard. I resisted for a long time, but I have one now. I don't wear it every night, but when I don't wear it, I can tell - I wake up with a headache. For me the real deciding factor was, I didn't want to have big dental problems in a decade or two. I want to keep all my teeth to a ripe old age (and I decided dentures were less sexy than a mouth guard in the long run). That said, if jaw massage works, I'd love to hear it. I wouldn't mind wearing that thing less!
ReplyDeleteour jaws pop too. and i hold major stress in my head and neck. uh oh...
ReplyDelete(Been lurking here for awhile...not sure if I've ever commented, but if not, hi! :)) My wife has used an overnight mouthguard for the last couple of years because of jaw problems, and it was a very, very smart decision for her. It took awhile to get it properly fitted (she had to go back to the orthodontist for minor adjustments several times), but she has much less pain, jaw popping, etc. now than she used to. Also, a word of advice: do NOT buy those DIY soft mouthguards at the drugstore. She was told by multiple dentists that using those probably made her jaw problems worse instead of better. As for the sexy factor, since you only really need to wear it while you're sleeping, it's really not that big a deal. And I think my wife is far sexier when her jaw isn't causing her pain.
ReplyDeleteI have one that I'm supposed to be wearing, but I have to say it is pretty gross, plus you have to clean it every morning, which is a pain. That said, it does actually help and when I do wear it I get less headaches. Maybe I should try this massage thing though...
ReplyDelete@Becky and Nicole: Hi! I love lurkers cause I totally am one.
ReplyDelete@everyone: The woman didn't say that jaw massage work would necessarily fix me for good but that it could help with a lot of the muscle tension and possibly the headaches/shoulders as well. I think her general thought was that dealing with the whole jaw-head-shoulders trifecta though several sessions of massage bodywork might be really good for me. I told her I'd get back to her when our household had two incomes again. BUT GET THIS: she said that there is INTER-ORAL MASSAGE. Like: massaging both the inside and outside of the jaw. That both fascinates and terrifies me.
Also: FINE. You are right and I should totally look into the mouthguard. For the record D$ has told me to get one for uh...years. I am up for a dentist appointment soon anyway, I just need to make the appointment (Angie, let's do it together?). I'll check and see if insurance will cover it and I promise to talk to the dentist about a mouthguard.
@c.r.a: HIIII! I can't believe I missed you on the first "HI." I suck. Hi hi hi!
ReplyDeleteOK so we are cosmic twins. I woke up 2 weeks ago with my jaw frozen in place, so much pain, couldn't even talk. I went to the doctor and she said "are you stressed?" and I said "oh no, I am never that stressed person. I amdoingjustfine!" ha. don't you love it when your body lets you know otherwise? So I had a dentist appt yesterday and got fitted for a mouth guard but ... the insurance won't cover it and it will be $480. what is a smart girl supposed to do here? sure, it's an investment for the future, but that is *a lot* of change.
ReplyDeleteSo, Jeff had to get a mouth guard a few months after we moved in together, and I was all (internally, or maybe not) "there is no way that we'll ever have a sex life if you're wearing that thing in your mouth every night." Not true, plus, like @Becky said, it's literally only when he's sleeping. It's an annoyance, but I find him far more attractive WITH teeth than with little nubs, you know? Go get the mouth guard.
ReplyDeleteAnother lurker here...I enjoy your blog! I've avoided the mouth guard for a while now, and maybe you're totally convinced to get one at this point, but you should also try a heating pad or warm washcloth on your jaw at night before bed, and perhaps a few jaw stretches. My dentist explained once that I grind my teeth because my muscles are working themselves out while I sleep. Kind of like when your other muscles spasm from being too tight all day. A heating pad has worked wonders!
ReplyDeleteAhhh, a fellow stress case. I am a recovering TMJ sufferer who has worn an oh-so-sexy night guard for years now. (Why do I feel like I'm at a meeting? "My name is Shawna and I have TMJ...") Anyway, after suffering for years with jaw pain and the accompanying headaches of which heating pads, advil and massage did nothing, I found a dentist who specialized in oro-facial pain, tried physical therapy, cortisone injections and finally a chiropractor who told me that I had an upper vertebra out of joint. I'm not sure what exactly worked or if it was a combo, but in case the other suggestions don't work, there are many options! (I promise, I am just another lurker and not a TMJ treatment rep.)
ReplyDeleteMy jaw pops when I eat - loudly and all the time. When I am stressed/upset, I must grind my teeth worse at night because I'll wake up and only be able to move it a little bit, because it feels like it's been dislocated.
ReplyDeleteI refuse to see the dentist about it.
But the idea of going to a masseuse skeeves me out. Bleeeeghghg.