I have jaw tightness, pain and recurring headaches. Last jaw surgery was 1990, and 1996 to fix an open bite and replace jaw joints. Don t know why the pain has returned if the problem was fixed surgically. Any ideas? Or should I buy stock in Advil for the pain?
Hello,I can understand your concern. As you were symptomless after the surgery for some years, the problem you are experiencing now seems like a muscular problem and not bone related. In addition, spasm of muscles that can help in chewing can cause pain in temporomandibular joint whith jaw movements, annoyance and headache. I would advise you to take muscle relaxant medication such as Dan-MR (Paracetamol 500 mg + Diclofenac Sodium 50 mg + Chlorzoxazone 250 mg) twice a day for five days. Heat compression over the joint area along with local application of Diclofenac Gel (Volini) will help. Try to have soft diet for a few days, less speaking if possible and give rest to the jaw. If the problem does not resolve in five days, then I would recommend a physical examination by a dentist or oral surgeon for ruling out problems with temporomandibular joint.I hope this information helps you. Thank you for choosing HCM. Let me know if you have further questions.Best,Dr. Viraj Shah