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 with 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 (Voting) 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 Chat Doctor. Let me know if you have further questions. Best,