Tmj, Lockjaw, And Oral Sex Pain

[Avalon616]

So, I have enjoyed giving oral sex for years. On either men or women, it's one of my favorite things to do. On the risk of sounding like a pompous ass, I'm damn good at it too- or I was, in any case. Over the past year or so I have gotten increasing jaw pain and cramping when engaged in vigorous oral activity, which is something I used to love to do with my partner.

I'm pretty sure I have TMJ. Right now in my life I'm under inordinate amounts of stress, and I grind my teeth in my sleep. I also have a jaw thrust due to bad orthodontics as a kid. Using my own formidable researching skills, I know there's no easy answer to TMJ other than painkillers, stress therapy, and perhaps orthodontics. Of course, one of the things stressing me out right now is the fact I'm unemployed, and so paying for expensive medical bills is right out the window.

I was hoping some of the people here might have some home remedies that help enable oral sex. My jaw just can't stay wide open for more than a minute at a time with the way things are now, though it does help when I take Ibuprofen before trying. While we love having vaginal, anal, and manual sex, we miss the oral!!

[thurisas]

keep in mind that I'm no doctor/dentist/orthodontist (Okay, I'm a retailer) but I do believe there are some massages that you can do inside your mouth that will help relieve some of the pain you're feeling. Ibuprofen is working for you because it acts as an anti-inflammatory. You might also have success with naproxyn sodium(aleve) as it does the same sort of thing. Hope this helps you research it further.

Thurisas

[Tyger]

My mother had TMJ, and it was extremely painful. The guard that you can get from a dentist can run about $400, and she said worth every penny. However, she couldn't afford it right off the bat, so her dentist told her to go and get either one of those small mouth guards like football players & boxers use and sleep with it in her mouth, or even one of those teeth whitening kits that you have to put your teeth in the rubber "trays". Just something to prevent your teeth from grinding together.

As stated above, I am in NO way a medical expert, and I don't know if EVERY dentist would recommend this, but I thought I'd put it out there for ya anyway.

Good luck & best wishes!

[whiskeywoman]

If you are suffering from teeth grinding in your sleep, you need a mouth gard.

As tyger stated above, a cheap one from the local drug store will help, and as Thur also stated, ibuprophen will help.

I myself suffer from chronic TMJ, meaning I can open and lock my jaw in place at will.

The only solution for me, is to have my jaw surgically removed and have artificial joints put in.

Hopefully yours is not so far progressed, nor will it progress to this extreme.

The only reason mine is so extreme is because it began in childhood and there was no TMJ back then..

There are "exercises" you can do that supposedly help with the pain, but for me, they do not work, they only aggrevate it.

Anywho,

if you feel it is aggrevated by stress, then you need to find something to help you relax.

Perhaps a hobby may help, something that you can lose yourself in and think of nothing else.

Unfortunatly, there is no cure for TMJ and no real help in dealing with the pain or the consequesnses of it.

Every person who has TMJ has found their own ways of coping with it.

As for how to cope, the only thing I can really tell you is, don't chew gum, and try not to eat foods like steak or caramels that require extra movements from your jaw, wear a mouth gaurd at night, and take ibuprophen BEFORE you have any symptoms of pain.

[Avalon616]

Thanks everyone. I'll try Aleve, see if it works better, and I'll pick up a mouth guard. I'm actually quite familiar with them since I played field hockey in high school. As soon as I can afford it, I'll get to a dentist, and check things out.

Thanks again for the advice.

[thurisas]

Actually, try the toothcare section in your local pharmacy and see if you can find the nightguard. It would be better than the type of mouthguard you would use for sports and it can be moulded for your mouth.

Thurisas.