TMJ Pain Management From Home
TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain is best treated with the guidance of a neuromuscular dentist. There really isn’t any substitute for years of specialized experience treating the same condition in thousands of variations. But, what can someone do when they can’t get to the doctor for a few months or have another extenuating circumstance keeping them from treatment? Here are some short term tips for managing TMJ pain from home until someone can make an appointment.
First: How Do You Know It’s TMD?
See a doctor. Self diagnosis is not a solution, and when people are in pain, they can become desperate for answers and cloud their judgment on top of not being a licensed professional. That being said, it’s also important to be self aware of your symptoms so you can be careful until you see that doctor. Temporomandibular joint disorder usually includes the following symptoms:
- Sleep apnea
- Headaches
- Migraines
- Lockjaw
- Popping of the joint
- Painful chewing
- Forward head posture
4 TMJ Pain Management Tips
Four of the most effective things you can do from home to ease TMJ pain include:
- Eating soft foods
- Applying ice packs
- Avoiding extreme jaw movements
- Learning to relax and reduce stress
1. Eat Soft Foods
Softer foods put less stress on already exhausted jaw muscles. Soft foods require less pressure to break down therefore saving a disordered jaw even more strain.
2. Apply an Ice Pack
Applying an ice pack to an affected area can reduce blood flow and prevent inflammation, which can reduce pain. Ice packs can also help to numb the area, which can provide temporary relief too.
3. Avoid Extreme Jaw Movements
Yawning, loud singing, gum chewing, and eating hard foods that require more pressure to break into or to chew through can put added stress on the jaw.
4. Learn to Relax and Reduce Stress
Stress often leads us to subconsciously tense our muscles. Often when people are nervous for a test, a job interview, or a tough conversation, they clench their jaw. Other stress habits like lip or cheek chewing, or grinding teeth are common too. These subconscious tics create more tension on the dysfunctional jaw. Stress management exercises like meditation, prayer, and exercise can help avoid these behaviors by reducing stress.
TMJ Disorder Treatment
For more information on TMJ disorder and potential treatment options, call Dr. David Buck’s office at 425-361-7499.
