The face gestures you make every day, such as smiling, chuckling, talking, and chewing, are unconscious. These simple movements, however, could be extremely painful if you have TMJ dysfunction.
The good news is you can relieve and help manage temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain from the comfort of your own home.
A professional can explain the surgery options and details of treating TMJ disorder in Los Gatos.
Relief for TMJ Pain: 8 Best Practices
Hearn said there are nonsurgical solutions for treating TMJ pain in minor circumstances. The following eight methods can help you manage symptoms and reduce TMJ pain without surgery:
Keep your jaw in its resting posture.
Reduce wide jaw motions like chewing, yawning, singing, and yelling to aid with TMJ pain. Try your best to maintain the most relaxed state of your muscles.
Ensure proper posture.
Long periods of time spent sitting in an uncomfortable position can make your jaw pain worse.
Sleep well at night.
For many facets of health, sleep is crucial. Sleep on your back with your neck supported by cushions to help reduce TMJ pain. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, and if you must, avoid putting your hand on your jaw while on your side.
Apply a compress—hot or cold
Heat and ice both help to relieve discomfort and swelling, while heat also helps to relax your jaw muscles. Put a thin layer of skin between the compress and the hot or cold compress you’re using to treat your jaw and apply it for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
Reduced tension
To assist your jaw in relaxing and becoming more flexible, try this meditation practice. Gardening is a terrific pastime to try calming your mind and relaxing your face; yoga activities can also make your muscles feel less stressed.
Work on your jaw.
Jaw exercises can assist promote mobility in your joints. Three distinct jaw exercises can be combined to ease discomfort:
- stretching techniques
- exercising your muscles
- relaxing activities
Pay attention to harmful behaviors
You can have a few habits that can aggravate your TMD. Such practices comprise:
- Biting one’s nails
- Cheeks and lips being chewed
- Placing your jaw on your hand’s palm
- Your teeth are clenched.
- You clench your teeth
- Tongue pressing towards teeth due to clenched jaw muscles
- Observe your morning caffeine intake.