Do pregnancy stitches get worse before they get better?

I gave birth exacly 7 days ago today and i had 14 stitches due to a tear lly, which was really painful. They seem to be getting worse rather than better. The midwife looked at them today and said theyre healing well, but theyre hurting so much, i cant even stand for more than 10 mins at a time and they feel so heavy, it feels like a hook pulling down on them all the time. I bath them every day with warm salt water but it doesnt seem to be making a difference. They just kill me. Also, whilst i was pregnant all the way from 6 months until i gave birth, i had an enormous craving to chew the mage side of sponges, i went through about 6 sponges a day, and everyone says that when you give birth, your cravings go straight away, but i still have urges to chew sponges, even though i gave birth a week ago. One last thing, has anyone else noticed how gas and air makes your jaw go tight? I couldnt have an epidural as i was already 8cm dilated when i got to hospital, so i only had gas and air and that was it, and since i gave birth, one side of my mouth has been painfull and achy, the other sides as normal. Please help. Thanks.