Almost 38 weeks, no sleep, in agony!

[Kittykc]

Hi everyone,

So for the past two weeks I’ve had excruciating pain in my teeth/jaw down one side - paracetamol doesn’t touch it and dentist said I can’t have an X-ray until baby is here. They mentioned TMJ but I’m not 100% that’s what it is. I’m averaging about 3hrs sleep every night and I’m terrified I’ll go into labour with no sleep I’m completely exhausted and just in so much pain. It goes up behind my eye and ear and it’s so much worse at night - has anyone experienced this before? 😞

TMJ is basically subconsciously biting your teeth together really heard so that is causes pain. If it is that then practicing breathing & allowing your jaw to rest open and don’t press your tongue to the top of your mouth and it should help after a few days.

I’m 36 weeks and have had no sleep for other reasons but empathise with how utterly shit it is xxx

If you are in that much pain they should offer you xrays to see what is going on. The risk to baby from dental xrays is very low.

I would ask for a second opinion, I hope you can get it sorted soon.

@Kittykc sounds awful! I've had tmj for three years.. mine flares up when I'm congested, as well as when I'm tense (clenching jaw), also when I talk too much/ chew too much. It can take a while to diagnose, you could self refer to Physio.. they should be better at catching it.

Try massaging your face, start close to your ear, down along your jaw line, and on your neck behind your ear lobe. If your muscles are tense and tender, massaging them should help a bit.