5 Tips to Help With TMJ
Commonly known
as TMJ, temporomandibular joint pain affects over 10 million Americans and can
involve difficulty chewing, jaw muscle stiffness and painful popping or
clicking, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial
Research.
Although for
some people the pain of TMJ goes away on its own, others develop long-term
problems and need treatment to help their pain.
Here are five
tips you can practice at home to help your TMJ symptoms.
1. Jaw Exercises
●
Try
opening your mouth as wide as you can without feeling pain, move your jaw to
the right and hold for 10 seconds, do the same to the left and repeat five
times.
●
Massage
the muscles around your jaw hinge in a downward motion.
2. Relaxation
Stress and
anxiety are very common inducers of TMJ. Some people tend to clench their jaw
when feeling stressed or anxious, which results in TMJ symptoms.
●
Practice
deep breathing. The best way to do this is to lie on your back, place your left
hand on your stomach and right hand on your chest. Count to five to inhale,
hold your inhale for two seconds, and exhale for five seconds.
●
Stretch
your spine. Interlock your hands behind your head and bend forward with
straight legs so that your head is reaching for the floor. Stay in this
position for at least ten seconds accompanied with awareness to breathing. This
practice can deeply stretch and relax your spinal chord and reduce TMJ pain.
3. Vitamins and Minerals
Deficiencies in
calcium and magnesium are found to be common in people suffering from TMJ. The
International Dental Association conducted a study on 50 TMJ sufferers who
added calcium and magnesium supplements to their routine and found pain relief
in 70 percent of the participants.
●
Magnesium rich food: Cashews, avocados, almonds soybeans,
sesame butter, spinach, squash, sunflower seeds, rice, flaxseed.
●
Calcium rich food: milk, banana, almond, spinach,
coconut, yogurt.
4. Herbal Remedies
●
Rhus Toxicodendron: This herb can help relieve jaw stiffness.
● Kava Root:
If your TMJ is due to stress or anxiety, Kava can be used to calm your nervous
system and in turn, reduce TMJ symptoms caused by anxiety like a stiff jaw.
● Magnesia Phosphorica:
This homeopathic remedy can ease muscle stiffness and has an antispasmodic
effect.
5. Acupuncture
Acupuncture has proven to be effective in treating TMJ in
a number of ways. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, TMJ often represents an
imbalance in the liver and gallbladder meridians which traverse the areas
usually associated with TMJ pain. Acupuncture points focused on these areas can
stimulate the healing process, and return the meridians and the body back to
balance, improving your TMJ symptoms.
Bishara Wilson, L.Ac., MSTOM, C.SMA
New York Sports Acupuncture
(888) 375-5444
Sources:
http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/temporomandibular-joint-dysfunction
http://home-cure.net/home-remedies-exercises-natural-cures-tmj-treatment/
http://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/kava-cure
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