Jaws Wide Shut

I'm stressed. No, that's an understatement. I am about 3 seconds away from a nervous breakdown. And I am feeling my stress in my jaws.

I have always been a clencher. I have caught myself for years clenching my teeth together anytime the pressure's on. A couple of years ago, a good friend had to have physical therapy for her own jaw issues (she's a night-time grinder) and I have tried since then to break the clenching habit lest I go through the time-consuming and expensive treatment she went through. But that's all gone to hell the last few weeks and my jaw has almost locked up on me on more than one occasion the last few days.

It's Relay's fault. I am too easily stressed to be the organizer of a major charity event. Of course, it's a cause that I take very seriously, so in the end it's a good thing. But last year after the Relay, the stress caused a chronic sinus and eye infection that I battled through September. I was trucking along fine this year until a few nights ago, when I realized it hurt to chew M&Ms (I reach for chocolate in times of stress, too.)

I thought it was my ears, since I'd had an ear infection earlier in the week. Alas, the jaw pain was coming from the opposite side. Upon further inspection, I noticed my left jaw is making unusual noises. Now, my jaws have been popping and cracking for years, driving my husband crazy (he has issues with loud eating noises; that will someday be a post all to itself because he's really insane about it), but this is different. It sounds like something's grinding inside my head.

So I dragged out the TMJ disorder physical therapy exercise sheet my dentist gave me last checkup when even he noticed my popping jaws and have done those the last two nights. It helps at first, but I woke myself up repeatedly last night clenching those damn teeth, and by morning my jaws were stiff and sore again. It even hurts to sing along to Carrie Underwood in the car (and I am sure my singing hurts Ainsley, too, but I digress.)

I tried de-stressing over the weekend, but not even peanut butter cookies fresh from the oven and a bottle of Pinot Noir shared over blackjack with good friends did the trick. The only thing that's gonna keep my jaws from locking up on me mid-chew is Relay finally being over, with no more surprises thrown my way, and with us meeting our goal. Oh, and a better weather report for Friday than I'm currently seeing.

Until then, I'll keep doing the exercises and try to calm down. If I don't, I'll be blogging a lot more because my jaws will be clamped shut.