I'm so sorry to hear this @viking-ventures! Years ago, I was involved in a car crash and TMJ was the lasting result. Most of the time, I can subdue it with ibuprofen, and here in Mexico, I can get 600mg tablets which seem to be the perfect amount. Normally, I call these a "jaw headache" and the pills help. Other days, not so much. Oddly enough, when I've taken the ibuprofen, and it starts to take effect, it helps if I do chew or eat something to get my jaw going. I must start to hold it tense or clench without knowing it.
I hope yours right now is bad because it is an infection and can be quickly cleared up.
I can read between the lines just fine; sorry about the root cause of it all too.
Actually, the infection didn't start causing problems until after the TMJ started to calm down. I suspect it was the clenching part of the TMJ that caused the infection if the tooth is broken now... I'll find out tomorrow, I guess.
A little TMJ pain this morning - both in the jaw and shoulder, so I must have clenched a bit overnight.
How often do you take your 600 mg? The maximum daily dose is around 2400 mg (some sources say up to 3000 mg) before you start doing liver damage. I was basically taking 200 mg every two hours (twice as often as the bottle says - but I knew to do more homework, spending a couple years as a pharmacy tech.) Definitely loosening the muscles is crucial.
Oh, that's weird @viking-ventures. I too will be curious what you find out tomorrow.
I only take it now when it bothers me. This morning it is a bit, but I had a very restless sleep, so I'm sure that has something to do with it. I can go for days and sometimes weeks without having to take anything. My accident happened about 25 years ago though.
I think that's why when mine bothers me, I take the ibuprofen and the force myself to eat/chew something. It really helps.
Had the wisdom tooth out just now. I was right that it was loose - though it wasn't broken.
So how are things today @viking-ventures?
Slight sore where the tooth was. Slight TMJ pain. Still getting used to a lost tooth - it feels like I'm mourning, actually. It's weird. I guess it's because I'd never lost an adult tooth until now - still had all my wisdom teeth, it feels like a bit of a failure.
Hoping to reduce ibuprofen again tomorrow. It's time to be off it again.
Thanks for asking!
You're welcome @viking-ventures! And yeah, that's a little weird 😎