this whole immigration process is driving me nuts

[deadbird 2]

Hello!

I'm going crazy. For months I couldn't figure out why I was waking up with severe headaches that would last all day, or why my jaw started hurting really bad this weekend.

Come to find out, my mom heard me grinding my teeth in my sleep this week. I haven't damaged my teeth too badly at this point from what I can tell but the grinding is fairly obvious. My mom does the same thing in her sleep and she had an extra (un-molded) mouth guard that I used for the first time last night.

Didn't wake up with a headache or jaw pain this morning.....

but an hour ago the jaw pain came back! No headache yet but it hurts so much to talk and my jaw is very stiff.

Anyone else grind their teeth? What do you do to make the pain go away??? I took some tylenol this morning and that stopped some of the pain, but now it's back and nothing is working. I know it's stress that's making me do it in the first place and I want to be able to calm down but this whole freaking process constantly has me on edge. I cut out all caffeine and chewing gum because I heard that makes the grinding worse. I'm surprised my dentist didn't notice when I went for a cleaning about a month ago, but like I said I haven't damaged my teeth (much).

It feels like I've been punched in the face a gazillion times.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Well, you came at least to a place where you can get "sympathy grousers".

Many of us have been through the piles of cr@p that the chopfracks at USCIS generate.

(for me, the "hurry-up-and-wait" phase of having an approved I-140 but not being able to proceed further, from Sept. 1997-Apr. 1999).

[Emancipation 2]

Hello!

I'm going crazy. For months I couldn't figure out why I was waking up with severe headaches that would last all day, or why my jaw started hurting really bad this weekend.

Come to find out, my mom heard me grinding my teeth in my sleep this week. I haven't damaged my teeth too badly at this point from what I can tell but the grinding is fairly obvious. My mom does the same thing in her sleep and she had an extra (un-molded) mouth guard that I used for the first time last night.

Didn't wake up with a headache or jaw pain this morning.....

but an hour ago the jaw pain came back! No headache yet but it hurts so much to talk and my jaw is very stiff.

Anyone else grind their teeth? What do you do to make the pain go away??? I took some tylenol this morning and that stopped some of the pain, but now it's back and nothing is working. I know it's stress that's making me do it in the first place and I want to be able to calm down but this whole freaking process constantly has me on edge. I cut out all caffeine and chewing gum because I heard that makes the grinding worse. I'm surprised my dentist didn't notice when I went for a cleaning about a month ago, but like I said I haven't damaged my teeth (much).

It feels like I've been punched in the face a gazillion times.

Yes yes and yes...

Babies all grind their teeth it's a soothing mechanism that usually stops when the baby teeth fall out. Some of us continue for the rest of our lives. Most of mine is stress induced, but by now a lot is habitual.

See TMJ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporomandib..._joint_disorder

I've worn an occlusal guard for years. I've chewed through 4 so far (had them for about 10 years), and I have teeth that have 10-15 years more wear on them than they should. It is painful and it's very very tiring. I wake up some mornings just exhausted...

The pain is from the clenching in my case.. and i've found massage therapy works well if you cannot get your face to relax. Other than some over the counter pain meds, I haven't tried much else, but am a firm believer in accupuncture for pain.

Also an occlusal guard is VERY helpful.. I love mine, and it's now one of those bedtime rituals for me. They cost around 200$ (they have to be fitted by a dentist). My brother has also successfully used a hockey mouth guard. it's bulky but it will stop your teeth from grinding or prevent further damage..

Ohhh and the really bad headaches.. it's your jaw pinching major vein to the brain.. try purposefully pushing your jaw forward.. most of the time my headaches instantly go away when i do that.. But i have to remember to do that

Edited July 31, 2007 by Emancipation

[L_n_O 3]

I don't grind my teeth in my sleep (at least I don't think I do) but I do have TMJ (pretty sure - my dentist thinks I might cuz I have some of the signs)

I can pop my jaw..

Every first bite of every meal is excrutiatingly painful.. cuz I guess you open your mouth wider than when speaking..

randomly during speech sometimes I *pop* my jaw and bloody hell does it hurt

and sometimes, randomly (although not that often) my jaw will lock. and then I've gotta push against the lock to unlock it and it pops/cracks when that happens..

oh!!!! and when I yawn! forgot about that til it just happened.. I can sometimes avoid it if I go slow

sux

sorry if that was graphic

didn't realize til I was done that it would be

Edited July 31, 2007 by liz_legend 'n Ol

[Tinker 0]

I don't grind my teeth in my sleep (at least I don't think I do) but I do have TMJ (pretty sure - my dentist thinks I might cuz I have some of the signs)

I didn't realize they had a name for that. Jim just cringes when I do that Mine locked once and the doctor said it was just a swollen gland. It just keeps a poppin and sticking.

[Emancipation 2]

I don't grind my teeth in my sleep (at least I don't think I do) but I do have TMJ (pretty sure - my dentist thinks I might cuz I have some of the signs)

I can pop my jaw..

Every first bite of every meal is excrutiatingly painful.. cuz I guess you open your mouth wider than when speaking..

randomly during speech sometimes I *pop* my jaw and bloody hell does it hurt

and sometimes, randomly (although not that often) my jaw will lock. and then I've gotta push against the lock to unlock it and it pops/cracks when that happens..

sux

sorry if that was graphic

didn't realize til I was done that it would be

OWIE that sounds so painful.. I do have the popping too.. but mine is just annoying sounding, haven't had pain with the popping..

UGH.. I agree TMJ comes in a lot of forms, and the grinding probably isn't TMJ but just something that leads to TMJ..

I don't grind my teeth in my sleep (at least I don't think I do) but I do have TMJ (pretty sure - my dentist thinks I might cuz I have some of the signs)

I didn't realize they had a name for that. Jim just cringes when I do that Mine locked once and the doctor said it was just a swollen gland. It just keeps a poppin and sticking.

Dentists typically diagnose TMJ (from my experience) not Dr's.. at least that's where I got my diagnosis, and help.. from my Dentist not my Dr.

[Tinker 0]

I figure that. I went to the doctor cause I couldn't open my mouth more then a 1/4 inch. The dentist just says I need to stop grinding my teeth, but has never offered anything. I had a mouth guard when I was younger.

Does the stress ever end over all this? Do we have to wait for the 10yr card, or does it just keep on and on???

[^KK^ 3]

Well, VJ is here to support you.

[Emancipation 2]

I figure that. I went to the doctor cause I couldn't open my mouth more then a 1/4 inch. The dentist just says I need to stop grinding my teeth, but has never offered anything. I had a mouth guard when I was younger.

Does the stress ever end over all this? Do we have to wait for the 10yr card, or does it just keep on and on???

Oh man I dunno..

Funny thing is my brother ALWAYS ground his teeth, on the day he got married he stopped and never ground again.. lucky duckie..

[Tinker 0]

Emancipation and Cherry, your suppose to say YES it gets better

[Emancipation 2]

Emancipation and Cherry, your suppose to say YES it gets better

Ha ha!! I'm not there yet though!!! I still have 1 1/2yrs left till Conditions are removed..

I still have to stress over the $$ and the process, and USCIS getting their grubby hands on my documentation again..

[L_n_O 3]

Yes!!!! In two years, it'll get better!

=) hehehe

Funny thing is my brother ALWAYS ground his teeth, on the day he got married he stopped and never ground again.. lucky duckie..

awwww he was just waiting for the perfect woman and now he's absolutely content with life...

no more need for the security blanket of the grinding teeth from the stress..

just cuddles into his wife at night

[Tinker 0]

Yes!!!! In two years, it'll get better!

=) hehehe

REALLY REALLY worry about you

[L_n_O 3]

=) ARE YOU SAYING I NEED HELP!?

(Writing a la Montreal style)

[deadbird 2]

Also an occlusal guard is VERY helpful.. I love mine, and it's now one of those bedtime rituals for me. They cost around 200$ (they have to be fitted by a dentist). My brother has also successfully used a hockey mouth guard. it's bulky but it will stop your teeth from grinding or prevent further damage..

Ohhh and the really bad headaches.. it's your jaw pinching major vein to the brain.. try purposefully pushing your jaw forward.. most of the time my headaches instantly go away when i do that.. But i have to remember to do that

Thank you! Right now my jaw is very very stiff though. I have a mouth guard that's similar to the hockey one but it's more to prevent teeth grinding than anything else. Last night was the first night I wore it and I was just so nice to wake up without a headache that felt like a hangover.

I would hope it stops when I get married too because I don't want to wear that big bulky thing it kind of is a mood killer....