Pain is consistent in TMJ area at joint on right side and below along jawline below the ear.
Same with me for the last three weeks. Clenching while sleeping is part of it, but what's causing me to clench is neck muscles. I have not been getting neck or lower spine/back therapy, but sometimes improper therapy with having TMJ needs to be a suspect. My neck hurts from imbalance.
When the spine curves, nerves that run to various parts of the body can become pinched. The most commonly pinched nerves are the brachial nerves that extend to the hands and fingers. Symptoms of a pinch in the brachial nerves are tingling, pain, or numbness in the fingers.
https://www.alexbelldental.com/tingling-in-hands-tmj-centerville/
TMJ can cause tingling and numbness in the hands because it sets off an imbalance in the neck vertebrae. The jaw and jaw muscles are partly responsible for holding the neck upright, and when the jaw is out of balance, the neck corrects by tilting in a complementary direction. This tilt causes the vertebrae to close together on one side of the neck. This can put pressure on the nerves that emerge from between the vertebrae, including the nerves that supply sensation to the fingers. This mild pressure leads to sensations of tingling and numbness in the hand. Normally one hand is affected.
https://www.riveredgedental.com/tingling-and-numbness/
In professional studies, with mention to the above, neck vertebrae can push jaw out of balance more. This can then work against a splint, where the spilt has too work harder with alignment. Sometimes month bacterial infection causes more harm - more so if there's gum problems. Whiplash can cause all of the above. Neck posture while sleeping - no air space between pillow and neck is needed. Soft pillows - non foam and medium firmness mattress may help. I use two medium size pillows with one hanging forward over the other. I try to sleep with no air space between neck and pillow and when I'm not doing that, my jaw will receive pain. I change sides often to balance out gravity and compression. Warm and cool compresses for face/jaw and neck may help. Soft foods eaten on non TMJ side - such as light + fit Greek, mashed potatoes or egg salad may give some temp relief to nerve circulation. Holding warm water - with no movement for 5 seconds on one side at a time may help temp.
Does any of this work for me, except having no space between neck and pillow - not all that much as I had major notes on my radiological mouth/jaw exam from dental whiplash. Your notations show little wrong, except lower jaw being back too far and with this and from this, clenching from neck vertebrae tilt causes a nerve supply problem. This is why you feel tingling in your fingers which may be more in palm, baby finger and index finger and not so much in middle fingers - as mentioned in many studies with brachial nerves.
Often, in the ER, is patients asking for pain meds for TMJ. Many have recently seen a chiropractor for neck and lower spine therapy. Muscles may have not been loosened by warm compress first. Pressure to muscle therapy was given and not outward extension therapy. A therapist with a doctorate needs to be seen as TMJ function with neck will be considered.
Member
