I had jaw surgery about a year ago, and honestly, getting good results was a bit of trial and error. First thing I learned was to really follow the surgeon's instructions on diet—soft foods only at first, smoothies were my best friend (and enemy after a while, lol). Then came swelling management: ice packs religiously for the first few days, then warm compresses later on. Sleeping elevated helped a ton too.
Physical therapy was something I didn't expect to be so important. Doing those jaw exercises every day felt silly at first, but it made a huge difference in regaining mobility and reducing stiffness. Also, documenting progress with weekly selfies helped me stay motivated when things felt slow.
But um...I'm curious if anyone else found other tricks or tips that worked better? Maybe something you wish you'd known earlier or discovered by accident?
"Doing those jaw exercises every day felt silly at first, but it made a huge difference in regaining mobility and reducing stiffness."
Interesting, because honestly, I had kind of the opposite experience. My surgeon recommended similar jaw exercises, but after a few weeks, I felt they weren't really doing much for me. Instead, I found gentle massages around the jawline and temples way more effective. It was something I stumbled upon by accident when I was just rubbing my face out of frustration one night, lol. After a few days, I noticed my stiffness easing up significantly.
Also, I totally relate to your smoothie fatigue—been there, done that. But I discovered blending soups and stews was a lifesaver. It gave me something savory and warm, which felt more satisfying than the endless sweet smoothies.
Anyway, it's probably different for everyone, but thought I'd share since you mentioned trial and error. Glad you're seeing good results though, it's definitely a marathon not a sprint...
Interesting to see how different everyone's experiences can be. My surgeon also pushed the jaw exercises pretty hard, and I stuck with them for a while, but honestly they just felt awkward and didn't seem to help much. Funny enough, what actually worked for me was chewing gum—obviously after I got the green light from my doc. It started as a random craving (I missed chewing real food so badly!) but ended up noticeably reducing stiffness and improving my range of motion.
"Also, I totally relate to your smoothie fatigue—been there, done that."
Haha, same here. Smoothies got old fast. My saving grace was mashed potatoes with gravy—warm, savory, and easy enough to manage even early on. It's interesting how we all find our own little tricks through trial and error. Glad you're both making progress though... definitely takes patience to get through it all.
