To Shut or Not to Shut?

During a ‘ticcing fit’ my body often contorts and gets stuck in strange positions. Over the last few weeks a new tic has snuck in which involves my jaw opening as wide as it’ll go. It’s painful and difficult to deal with, and though it might look a bit comical, when the muscles are extended and tense it hurts right along my jaw line and into my ear and neck.

I can’t close my mouth or explain to the person helping me what I want them to do, and that leaves my friends and carers with a tricky dilemma. Should they risk damaging my jaw by forcing my mouth shut, or leave me in clear distress with my mouth wide open?

At the moment I’m asking everyone to try a combination of the two – trying to relax my jaw by rubbing the side of it, and then gently pushing it shut.

I’ll be seeking medical advice as soon as I can.

2 responses to To Shut or Not to Shut?

  1. Eve says:

    Oh that sucks, I hope the medical profession has something useful to say about it <3

  2. Dragonet says:

    My 9 year old son was recently (finally!) officially diagnosed with TS and this is similar to one of his tics. He opens his mouth as wide as it will go which involves contorting all of his face then shuts it again after a few seconds. It also causes him some pain. It is one of his ‘permanent’ tics which is starting to cause him to be very self-conscious at school and when we are out and about. Sorry but I can’t offer any suggestions to ease it, but just wanted to let you know you’re not alone with this tic!

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