Palakkad: A doctor with the Railways Department came to the aid of a passenger who was unable to close his mouth after a yawn.

The passenger, Athul Bishwas (27), was travelling on Board the Kanyakumari–Dibrugarh Vivek Express when he suddenly found himself unable to close his mouth. On being alerted by the TTE, Dr P S Jithin, a Medical Officer with the Palakkad Railway Division Office, rushed to attend to him.

Athul, who works with a private firm in Kochi, was treated at the platform and was able to continue his journey on the same train. The incident occurred around 2.35 am. when the train reached Palakkad Junction.

Dr Jithin later explained that Athul was suffering from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dislocation, a condition in which the lower jawbone slips out of its joint socket, leaving the mouth open and stuck there causing severe pain. This can happen due to excessive yawning, accidental impact or certain medical conditions. In most cases, it can be corrected manually by a doctor, though in some severe cases, surgery might be required.