Jaw joint pain after eating hard food.

hi, few weeks ago I ate very hard french bread. since then i've been having a pain on my right jaw joint.
At beginning I had no pain unless I chew food long enough then started to hurt and also gave slight poping sounds.
Now it seems there's a dull pain when not even eating, slight headache, neck pain just below right jaw, also several times a sharp ear pain occured enough to woke me up in morning.

Im going to try eating soft food/soup now see if it cures the problem.
Or should i go to dentist now?

Thank you.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
This type of pain can be due to an ear issue, TMJ or temporo-mandibular joint disorders or due to decaying teeth.
If it is TMJ, you have to press on muscles of your face to look for sore points. To get some relief you can try massaging the sore muscles.  Then massage these points with short strokes. To massage the masseter muscles on each side of your jaw, place your thumb inside your mouth and squeeze the thick muscle in your cheek with your fingers. To massage the jaw muscles inside your mouth, use your index finger to probe and massage these spots. Massaging the muscles does not help every one. Also if the procedure is nor correct, then it can further aggravate the problem.
Moist heat or cold packs on the face, vitamin supplements, or biofeedback are useful for some people. Usually people find a method that brings relief by trial and error. Consult an ENT specialist to begin with. Take care!

[samanthauriza]

oh yes any time you are in pain when you eat food you should go in you never know how bad it is until you go in

[FurballsMom]

There is one thing I do that helps my TMJ issues that is worth considering in addition to the suggestion above.  Most insurances do cover chiropractic care.  I have to see my chiropractor, so I have her check and align my TMJ.  She uses a device called an actuator/activator.  It is a gentle adjustment and it really helps a lot.

This is addition to what the doctor already suggested.  You should still follow her suggestions for the ENT.  Some dentists will make a nightguard for TMJ.  I can't get one myself, because I can't afford the out-of-pocket costs for this and it's something my insurance doesn't even begin to cover.

Definitely get some treatment for this.  TMJ issues can aggravate headache issues.

[Shiggs2011]

Thank you for all replies.
Since I started eating soft food it got much better in few weeks now.
I also try not to lay on right jar side while sleep so its not pressured.
No ear pain, headache's gone.
Jaw pain's almost gone, except when I eat long enough I could feel dull pain coming back.
Yet I've not tried meat/ hard stuff, BBQ is coming up this weekend... see how i'll do :)
I'll add message too.

I will mention about problem when i go see dentist on next check up.
Will X-ray going to show if its TMJ? or just they'll assume any jaw pain as TMJ...?