TMJ disorders are known to cause pain in the jaw joint and surrounding muscles. The pain may be occasional or frequent, and may vary from mild to severe, but as any TMJ patient will tell you, they would give almost anything to get rid of the pain.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to relieve TMJ pain. One of ways to do this is to learn how to relax your jaw. A lot of the times, jaw pain results from undue tension in the jaw and neck area, and learning how to relax these areas might do you a lot of good.
In the following video, Johnny Nielson shares a number of jaw-relaxing techniques that have worked for him when managing TMJ:
As Johnny reveals in the video, there are certain points along your jaw line that contribute to TMJ pain. In the same breath, when you apply pressure to these points correctly, you may be able to find some needed relief from chronic pain. Cindy Black discusses these “acupoints” in the following post:
TMJ relief using acupoints
…Getting relief from TMJ
Therapeutic massage to the muscles of the head, face, and jaw is very helpful for relieving the muscle tension that may be pulling the jaw too far to one side. Massage can also help alleviate the mental-emotional stress that may be contributing to the tension in these muscles in the first place.
Below is a picture of some of the muscles on the head and face that move the jaw. When these muscles relax and soften, the pressure on the joint is relieved. Once the pressure is relieved, space returns to the temporal-mandibular joint, which sets the stage for healing. Read full post Big Tree Healing
When you’re suffering from TMJ pain, you may assume that immobilizing the jaw will eliminate the pain. This might work, but it’s not a practical solution long-term, or even short-term. In fact, it’s important to stretch those muscles (in a controlled way, of course).
Image Courtesy of Public Domain Pictures
Gentle exercises of the jaw will gradually expand your range of motion and ultimately do away with the tension that’s causing the pain. Here are some exercises you might want to try:
6 Exercises That Relieved My TMD/TMJ Disorder
I’ve dealt with TMJ/jaw problems for a large portion of my life. At many points, the pain was enough to keep me from sleeping for hours. These exercises have helped reduce the inflammation as well as the headaches associated with the problems. The point is to basically strengthen the inflamed jaw. The usual cause of this problem is that the muscles around the joint are strained, which weakens the joint, and sometimes damages nerves around the area.
I’ve learned these exercises from physical therapy sessions, doctor visits, and a multitude of pamphlets, and while this is all first-hand experience, note that I’m not a medical professional (if you try anything of these and it feels uncomfortable, ask a doctor before continuing). Read full post at HealDove
It’s worth noting that home treatment methods may be enough to get past the condition, particularly when it’s only temporary. However, medical attention should be sought if the pain becomes a consistent part of your life.
