Hi Jun Hao,
Thank you for your question.
Based on your symptoms, it does seem that it may be due to Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD). The exact causes of TMD still remains unknown, however it commonly arises from problems with the muscles of your jaw or with the parts of the joint itself.
“What should I do?”
For your case, as the occurrence has only been for a week, it appears to me to be something of an acute nature, i.e. it has not been occurring for a prolonged period of time.
Do you recall a traumatic incident to your jaw? Perhaps you were eating something that was hard to chew on? Or are you in a stressful situation currently?
There are some self care techniques that you may use to reduce the symptoms:
- eating soft foods
- applying ice packs to area
- avoiding extreme jaw movements eg. yawning
- relaxing techniques to reduce stress
- OTC painkillers
“Will it heal over time naturally?”
It may or may not heal over time naturally as it really depends on the cause in your case. If your symptom persists, I would strongly recommend you to visit a healthcare provider who understands musculoskeletal disorders and who is trained in treating pain conditions. They would be able to diagnose and find out the underlying cause of your condition and offer you treatment options accordingly.
Off hand, I know of Dr Adrian Yap from Ng Teng Fong Hospital and Dr Joao Ferreira/ Dr Tan Hee Hon from National University Hospital, who have special interests in this field to be able to adequately help you.
Hope this helps!
