About 6 months. Just open and close. Look in the mirror. It will be ok!
I had that for awhile after my surgeries and I found that a few sessions of acupuncture helped me
a lot also warm compresses with massaging and stretching felt good too.
I had the same issue. Went to an orthodontist and was fitted with an invisalign like mouth guard conforming to my teeth. This helped a lot!!
Hello, I had jaw pain/stiffness. It comes from the cutting of the masticating muscle in the temporal area to remove bone flap.Mine was cut twice(for same surg.) and very shortened. Had PT for it but, it took time approximately 8 months before I could chew without stiffness or open without soreness or pain. For me chewing gum was like running on a pulled muscle,over use made it more painful. what worked for me was stretching of the jaw/mouth open wide and hold.using the AAAA,EEEE,AHHHH mouth shapes in a exaggerated way. Good luck and eat well.
I had if also. Its from yhem cutting the muscle. I ate hamburgers with z knife and fork for a year. After that it went awat.
Resonating with what everyone else has said - it will take time! The muscle (mainly the temporalis muscle depending on what kind of surgery you had), the nerves, the connective tissue... everything has to readjust and grow back. Give them the time they need, the rest they need, and a little bit of exercise - keep chewing gum, eat healthy, stay active and they will do their thing. I'm nearing a year since my pterional craniotomy for aneurysm clipping - I can open my jaw entirely and can do everything else normally. Everyday try to open your mouth and hold it for a few seconds to a minute here and there at the maximally open position... of course, don't over stretch it out or anything that it causes you a lot of pain. Just gentle exercise. And don't chew too much gum! I feel like I made the mistake of chewing too much gum and my jaw would feel sore often.
I had that happen and still happen off and on. I had my clipping 9/2003, 11 years ago. Not as bad as it was at first, only last maybe a week now and doesn't happen that often anymore.
Thank you all SO MUCH for your terrific, supportive answers! Iāll keep at it, and try not to wish I was running when I should be very grateful to walk! Many many thanks! Sarah
Sarah, I went to a TMJ dentist and he gave me relief from it, at least I think that's what it was......
Like many things we have issues with, this just takes time as well. Iām almost there years from my surgery and I can finely open wide now without noticing any pain. Occasionally when eating an apple that isnāt cut into pieces Iāll notice a slight twinge of pain. Youāll be fine in time.
Donāt worry all things pass when your body is ready. Some take a lot of time others are quick. I had the tightness for a few months and ended up with TMJ. My insurance paid for my visit and I saw a oral surgeon who made a plastic plate for me to wear to bed. Works wonders. Exercise the jaw daily Good luck!
My neourosurgion said stretching helps, but he recommended an exercise to rebuild the muscle and I was eating normal within a week. He told me to put tongue depressors between my back teeth and grit my teeth for 5 to 10 minutes, 3-4 times a day. At first you might only get one or two in, as you can, add more to the stack. I think I stopped with 5. Popscicle sticks will work too. I got the tongue depressors at the Dollar store. I just left them by my chair and when ever I noticed them stuck them in for a few minutes. It worked really fast.
I hope my experience helps you out. Not only could I not eat or open my mouth wide enough to fit the fork or spoon in but I could not go to the dentist and had a bad toothache.
My neurosurgeon had to cut on my left side by the ear area for my craniotomy. In the ear area there is a muscle in the jaw area that I have been told was cut to proceed with the surgery. These are the basics but may not be 100% accurate.
Finally my dentist told me to buy a box of those wooden tongue depressors. I started with about 4, one on top of the other. I put them inside the cut off finger of a rubber glove. Then I inserted in my mouth and use like pliers. Pull the depressors open and shut for a few minutes every day as many times as you want. Especially while watching TV. Every day I added 1 or 2 more depressors till I had about a total of 12. Pry them open, close, open then close, FORCING each day a tad more open. Within 1 month, my mouth was totally back to normal.
I realize it sounds nutty but it did work and I avoided having to have surgical repair. And YES, I had pain prior to my exercises, but none after my mouth was again able to eat normal.
I am four weeks out from my open cranial clipping of a non ruptured ani on my right side and I am experiencing the same horrible pain in my jaw it hurts to yawn even. I also have a few other things that I am curious aboutā¦I am by no means graceful but my balance seems to be worse I sometimes look like I am drunk and certain foods do not taste right anymore. The only way to describe it would be to say itās like a metallic aftertaste. But the most disheartening would be my diminished sense of smell. How long does all of this last?