How can I treat TMD pain without the use of analgesics and medications?

It is definitely possible to have pulp (the nerve of the tooth) damage in the absence of decay. Other causes of pulp damage/inflammation include:1) Cracks in the tooth or rootHairline cracks may be present in the crown or the root of a tooth due to trauma (from an accident, teeth grinding or clenching, or biting into something hard) or weakening of an undermined cusp usually associated with a large cavity or a large filling. Most cracks may be painless when confined to the superficial part of the tooth.

The cracking sound that you hear is due to the articulation disc. It may be a sign of overuse of your muscles of mastication. If it persists and there is associated pain, then you will need to see a doctor that specialises in treating temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Other symptoms of TMJ disorders include tenderness in the face/jaw, difficulty in opening the mouth (trismus), jaws that lock in an open or closed position, neck ache or earache.