Monday, November 23, 2009

I pop way more than I lock

I realized that I haven't made a ridiculously misleading graph in quite some time.  I attempt to correct that travesty today.

As you can see in the graph below, I like to crack my various joints.  Those that know me well will notice the graph is not complete as I have left off my jaw, hips, shoulders and toes.  This is not an oversight on my part, nor was it a matter of space restrictions.  I like to maintain a certain amount of mystery and privacy.  To that end, I have kept those numbers to myself.  I will say this though, I have TMJ and people have asked me if I can make my jaw not pop while I eat.  My friends, I cannot.  It will pop as long as I can chew or a maxillofacial surgeon breaks my jaw (either out of frustration from the constant popping during our meals together, or because she/he's just trying to correct the problem).

**UPDATE**
It's not properly indicated on the graph, but the numbers on the side represent the number of cracks/attempts to crack per day.

8 comments:

Madelyn said...

I hate it when people constantly say "you're going to regret always cracking that later" as if they're doctors or something.

I also remember you telling me quite often that you never crack your knees because you're afraid of damaging them. So, what gives?

omar said...

That is a fantastically misleading graph. Nicely done. I looked at it and immediately thought, "who cracks their neck almost as often as they crack their fingers?" Then I saw the scale.

My jaw pops too, but not in the course of normal eating. I have to open up pretty wide.

Jon said...

Madelyn: As far as I know, there is no conclusive proof that cracking your knuckles does anything to you. I think it's one of those things people tell you to make you afraid to do it, but they're really just trying to get you to stop because it bugs them.

And you are partially correct about my knees. I do not like to crack them by twisting, like some people I know. It's a complicated process that I go through, which is why it only happens a few times per day.

Omar: Why thank you!

Yeah, the jaw thing is pretty annoying. It happens pretty much every time I clinch my jaw, so chewing, swallowing and biting metal all are all causes of my jaw popping.

Syar said...

My jaw creaks, which is worrying. Is that just popping, and I'm not owning up to it?

I also hate when people tell me not to chew ice. What's your stance on that, Jon? Does it do anything to chew on ice? It might actually have something to do with my creaky jaw.

Hmmm.

I think I need to make a numerically misleading bar graph to figure this out.

Jon said...

Syar: No, jaw creak is different, but I had that before I had jaw pop. Sorry.

I'm in favor of ice chewing. I wasn't always, but that was because I had sensitive teeth. I sent them to boot camp though, and they came back tougher. I chew ice now. People are dumb.

cadiz12 said...

what about how when you pop the teensy little bones in your fingers and how it sounds like you're breaking the necks of infants? i can practically hear them screaming.

oh and in the last few years, i started cracking my knuckles a lot more. so thanks for that.

Unknown said...

Haha, glad I could be of service! I didn't realize I had passed on such wisdom (however if we do have joint problems when we're in our 80s, I had nothing to do with it). It's so funny how crackers love discovering new things to crack! Perhaps we need to start a support group ...

Anonymous said...

I can't crack my back or neck anymore. I think I cracked it too much when I was younger. I used up all the crack.