Have you ever woken up in the morning and had difficulty opening your mouth or felt pain on either side of your jaw? This can be a very annoying problem when eating, talking, or even brushing your teeth. We usually call this condition "jaw lock." Medically speaking, it is called trismus or lockjaw. Although the name may sound scary, most of the time it is not serious. Today, we will talk about this in a simple way that you can understand.
What exactly is Trismus?
Simply put, a jaw sprain is a condition where the muscles that help us open and close our mouths, or chew food, become tight due to damage, injury, or stress. When these muscles are not working properly, we have difficulty opening our mouths.
There are several reasons for this. Sometimes, when a tooth is extracted, especially a wisdom tooth at the end, there may be some damage to the surrounding tissues. It can also be caused by an accident, a blow to the jaw, an infection, or some medications.
The best part is that this condition, called a jaw fracture, usually heals on its own within about two weeks. However, the pain can be quite intense during that time.
But if this condition persists, eating, talking, and even maintaining oral hygiene become a challenge. So there are some simple things we can do to reduce this pain and restore the function of the jaw muscles.
Let's do this little massage before starting the workout.
It's very important to loosen up any tight muscles in your jaw before starting to exercise. This will reduce pain and make exercising easier.
Imagine, using your index and middle fingers, placing your cheekbones in a proper position. From there, gently massage down the tight muscle that connects to the top of your jaw. You will feel that muscle. In medical terms, we call this the masseter muscle . Now , massage that area in a circular motion for about 30 minutes. Doing this two or three times a day will help your jaw muscles relax considerably.
Simple exercises to relieve hip pain
The main goal of these exercises is to move the jaw muscles, reducing tightness and pain. You can do these several times a day. But remember, you shouldn't feel any pain while doing these exercises. If you feel any pain, reduce the amount of exercise you do.
To make it easier to understand, let's look at these exercises in a table.
| Exercise name | How to do it (step by step) |
|---|---|
| Active Jaw Stretching | 1. Keep your head straight and open your mouth as wide as you can without pain. Hold for 10 seconds. 2. Now slowly push your lower jaw to the left. Hold for 3 seconds. 3. Next, push your lower jaw to the right. Hold for 3 seconds. 4. Rotate the lower jaw in a circle to the left. 5. Rotate the lower jaw in a circle to the right. Consider all of this as one round, and do 5 rounds 3 times a day. |
| Passive Stretching | 1. Place your thumb between your upper teeth. 2. Place the index finger of your other hand between your lower teeth. 3. Now open your mouth as wide as possible. Then use your fingers to slowly open it a little further. Stop if you feel any sharp pain. 4. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds. Repeat this five times. |
| Chin Tucks | This increases flexibility in the neck and shoulders and reduces stress on the jaw. 1. While looking straight ahead, tuck your chin toward your chest. 2. Now bring your head back to its normal position and keep your ears aligned with your shoulders. Hold this position for 3 seconds and repeat five times. |
| Neck Stretch | This also reduces tension in the neck and jaw muscles. 1. Slowly tilt your head forward, then back. 2. Turn your head to the right, then to the left. 3. Keeping your shoulders relaxed, slowly bend your head and bring your ear closer to your shoulder. Stop if you feel any pain. Do the same on the other side. Hold each pose for about 30 seconds, and repeat five times. |
Be very careful when doing these things!
Jaw pain is a painful condition, so you need to be very careful when exercising.
If you feel any pain while doing this exercise, stop immediately. In that case, just massage both sides of the hip slowly as mentioned earlier.
Also, during this time, you should pay special attention to oral hygiene . Even if you can't open your mouth properly, brush your teeth and tongue three times a day if possible. Clean between your teeth. If you use toothpaste, keep them clean as well.
Another important thing is that some people grind their teeth or clench their jaw, either out of habit or due to stress. Definitely try to get rid of this habit. Try to keep your jaw muscles relaxed whenever possible.
Do you want to see a doctor?
Yes. If these exercises do not help after a few days, or if the pain is unbearable, definitely see your doctor. You may also be referred to a physical therapist. Your doctor may prescribe painkillers, such as NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, or even steroids. Never take over-the-counter medications. Only your doctor can make that decision.
Take-Home Message
- Trismus is a tightening of the muscles that help you open your mouth. It usually resolves within two weeks, but it can be painful.
- Massaging both sides of the hips thoroughly before exercising can help relieve pain.
- Never exercise until you feel severe pain. If you feel pain, stop immediately.
- Maintaining oral hygiene and avoiding teeth grinding are essential for a speedy recovery.
- If these home remedies don't help or the pain is severe, don't waste time and see a doctor.
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