I had a mouthguard made to "fill in" my bite, and it helps tremendously. If I even forget it one night, I wake up hurting the next morning. I don't envy you at all with that pain. I remember it going all the way up into my ears and every time I'd move my jaw would crunch and pop. Ugh! It's so easy to say, but try to do any activity that makes you relax and forget about it. If I get stressed about something, I immediately feel it in my neck and jaw...weird I know! I have also pretty much stopped chewing gum because that can make symptoms come on when I've haven't been having problems at all.
I'm sorry you cancelled your dental insurance.
