Jaw Dropping: The Sequel

Perhaps you remember waaaay back when I had Remewin that I started experiencing some interesting jaw issues.

Well, they never really went away. Waking up each morning and having to slowly warm my jaw back up became a part of my life... a part I never really thought much about. Until a few weeks ago, when my jaw stopped warming up.

Now I can't open my mouth. Well, I can but not much.

So, to give you an example of how far I can open my mouth I want you to put the middle knuckle of your thumb against your lower lip. Now open your mouth until the top lip is touching the tip of your finger.... that's me.

And that's how I've been for a good two weeks now. Eating hurts too. Like a thick crusty piece of bread... I can't chew it.

I keep thinking maybe I'll lose weight because I can't manage to eat anything, but that's just an unhealthy way of looking at life.

So the question becomes, what does one do when they can't open their mouth? Or more appropriately, what does one who hates the dentist (negative childhood experiences anyone?), and hates the inevitable lecture they are going to get if they go to said dentist, do when they can't open their mouth?

I guess it might be worth noting that I usually just suck it up when it comes to my ailments and rarely go to a doctor about any of it. Ralexwin says I never take care of my body and I'll regret it when I'm older. He's probably right.

It's really just my joints. I have lousy joints. The older I get the more I realize how true this is... my joints suck. Why is this? Do you want me to list them?

My knee (I did go to the doctor about... he told me to take tylenol... jerk).
My shoulder (see above).
My neck.
My lower back. (It might be interesting to not that Chiropractors lecture almost as well as Dentists).
The right side of my jaw.
My hips... just a little when I've walked to much.
Even my middle fingers sometimes go out of joint on me.

See now I'm just complaining.

The point of all of this is that I don't know what to do about my jaw.

Okay, that's not true. I know what I ought to do but I don't want to and I'm secretly hoping that it will just go away on it's own.

In the mean time I can't really clean my mouth very well and I'm sure my teeth are all rotting out.

So. Hypothetically speaking, if your jaw wasn't working the way it should, and the Shel Sylverstein poem about the King who like Peanut Butter Sandwiches keeps running through your head, who do you see... the doctor, the dentist, or the chiropractor?

Comments

Jill said…
Go to the doctor. It sounds like you have TMJ. All the dentist can really do for you is make a mouth guard for sleeping (which you will want. It will stop you from clenching your jaw at night which causes it to lock up when you wake up). The doctor can send you to physical therapy. It's amazing what that can do for you! Just as a warning though: most insurances don't have a very high allowance for TMJ. My jaw got to the same point as yours a few years ago. I was able to have about 6 pt appointments before insurance wouldn't cover it anymore, but it made such a big difference that I haven't needed to go back. Once my jaw was in a better place, my mouth guard made a world of a difference. Hope that helps!
Anonymous said…
Your post reminds me of a book I was listening to. (Not saying you're like this but it was really funny.)

This woman was getting older and was very much enjoying the idea of being an older woman except that her knee started hurting a lot. She went to the doctor and was told she would need a replacement. She told the dr that that couldn't be right because she never used her knees. She wasn't one of those people the went out exercising. Her knees had been kept in pristine condition from her lack of wear and tear on them. They were like toys loving left in the package so they would not be damaged.
Cannwin said…
Ivy!

How did you know that's how I kept my knees? ;)

Jill,

Dr. huh? Hmm..... I hate doctors, except ob/gyn's I'm okay with them.
Ashy said…
My sister had a problem with this and I kind of do too in the mornings or when I'm chewing tough things like steak. We had a chiropractor who explained to us that he could fix just about anything, and I think my sister went to a doctor once about it... you just have to hunt around for something. Good luck!
Claire said…
doctor.go.now.

srsly
heather said…
That sounds really annoying! Hope you get it figured out soon!!

Also, LOVE the new look. LOVE as in, I might have to copy.

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