You may not have that much knowledge about your temporomandibular joints (TMJ), but you use them a lot daily. We are talking about the joints that connect your jawbone and your skull. Every time you speak, chew, chat, or swallow, your TMJ will spring into action.
You will suffer from TMJ disorder when something goes wrong with your jaw joints and jaw muscles. This can happen due to a jaw injury, inflammation like arthritis, or overuse of your jaw. You may suffer from symptoms like:
- Pain while chewing
- Pain in the face, jaw, neck, and ear
- Clicking or popping sound while you open or close your mouth
- Locking of the jaw joints
- Headaches
If you have been diagnosed with TMJ disorder, you will feel unbearable pain while performing your everyday activities. There are many paths and ways that you can use to address this painful condition. Surgery is the last resort, so try natural remedies for TMJ before opting for that.
Effective Home Remedies for TMJ!
The temporomandibular joint or TMJ is the joint that joins your jawbone to the skull. Disorder and problems related to this joint are known as TMJD (Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction), and they can cause severe pain in the jaw and face. Everyday activities like smiling, laughing, talking, chewing, and biting will cause you unbearable pain if you suffer from TMJD. Hence, it is one condition that you should not ignore at all costs because it can affect the quality of life.
Most of the TMJD symptoms can resolve in a few weeks to months. However, some painful signs can be aggravated by harmful habits or specific behaviors that put a lot of strain on your jaw and neck muscles. However, you need not worry because TMJ has many home remedies.
These remedies will help you ease TMJ symptoms, especially jaw pain and discomfort:
1. Hot and Cold Compress
Giving yourself a warm compress over the jaw, temples, and neck region for 10 to 12 minutes twice a day can relax your muscles and help you address the painful symptoms of TMJ. However, you should use it as a preventive measure for a week. Do not use it when pain is at its peak. Instead, you should visit a doctor immediately.
A hot compress will help you decrease the stiffness of the jaw and pain. It will also increase blood supply to the region. It will also provide you with a soothing distraction. If there is no change after two days, switch to ice application. Ice or cold compress can have a numbing effect on the pain. It will help you deal with severe pain and relieve your symptoms.
Apart from this, you can also switch between hot and cold therapy for TMJ. For that:
- Apply a moist heat pack to your jaw for around 15 minutes.
- Rest for a few hours, then apply an ice pack for approximately 15 minutes.
- Do this a few times per day for the best results.
2. Choose Soft Foods
Eating hard and chewy food can cause lots of strain on your jaw as you will need to bite a lot. Instead, go for soft foods like mashed potatoes, as it will decrease your jaw pain and discomfort. If you eat hard foods, then ensure to cut them into tiny pieces. Also, avoid eating chewing gum as it can aggravate your TMJ symptoms. So, ensure that you either limit these foods or altogether avoid them. Try this one of the best home remedies for TMJ and get rid of the pain and discomfort effectively.
3. Learn Stress Management
One of the top reasons for TMJ is stress. People tend to clench their jaw throughout the day due to stress without even noticing. If you are stressed, take a walk, write about your problems in a journal, talk to a therapist, and clear your head instead of clenching your teeth. Stress can aggravate your TMJ pain, which is why stress management is essential. So, if you are looking for home remedies for TMJ, then use how you can manage stress.
4. Get a Bite Guard
Stabilization splints or a bite guard can help you keep from grinding and clenching your teeth. Bite guards are made of plastic, and they fit over your upper and lower teeth. This will prevent your teeth from touching. This can lead to reducing tension on your TMJ and relieving symptoms. You can go for a firm or soft bite guard. You should only use bite guards temporarily and as per your dentist’s advice. If you feel that the pain and discomfort are increased due to the bite guard, you should stop using them and contact your doctor.
5. Limit Your Jaw Movement
If you are continuously yawning, singing, and yelling, then it can cause strain on your jaw. Try to limit these jaw movements to provide your jaw with a break from movement. Additionally, it can also help you relieve some of your pain. Make sure you don’t overuse your jaw muscles because it can hamper the durability of your jaw muscles. So, try these natural remedies for TMJ and reduce the extreme movements of your jaw to reduce the tension on the TMJ.
6. OTC Medications
If the pain is unbearable, you can opt for over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. These medications are one of the best home remedies for TMJ pain. However, if the pain is unbearable, you should take them every four to six hours. They are usually nonspecific painkillers and can also work as an anti-inflammatory agent. If you are not comfortable taking these pills, you can also go for OTC topical creams such as arnica, tiger balm, and capsaicin. Apply these creams to the painful areas (outside of the mouth and not in the mouth) thrice a day.
7. Give Yourself a Gentle Massage
Giving gentle massage to the jaw and temple muscles can help you deal with this condition. For that, gently massage these mentioned areas in a circular motion while opening and closing your jaw slowly for around 30 seconds. Do this every 5 to 6 hours. Opening and closing the jaw will stretch the jaw muscles and provide them with a massage. This action will relax the jaw muscles and benefit jaw dysfunction. Also, doing this exercise regularly will prevent the easy tending up of the jaw muscles.
8. Stop Some Bad Habits
Get rid of some of your habits that can cause TMJ pain. If you have any of these tendencies, then stop them:
- Nail-biting
- Chewing cheeks and lips
- Resting your jaw in your hand
- Clenching your teeth
- Grinding your teeth
- Clenching jaw muscles push the tongue against your teeth
Observe yourself daily and note your habits in a diary. Discuss them with your doctor and tell them how often you do them. Your doctor will help you with them. Try this one of the easiest natural remedies for TMJ and automatically get rid of the pain.
9. Correct Your Posture
If you are sitting in an unideal position, it can cause you to feel more pain in your jaw. When you are in the office, choose a back support chair. Take frequent breaks to free up your body and improve your posture. While driving, set your seat as upright as possible to avoid this condition. You can also sit upright while doing leisure activities such as watching TV or reading. Choose a space that allows you to sit upright, and don’t forget to put a pillow behind your back for extra support. To correct your sitting and standing posture: raise your chest bone, pull your shoulder back, and finally squeeze your shoulder blades. This will straighten your back muscles and correct your posture. This is one of the most effective home remedies for TMJ and can be done anytime and anywhere.
Also Read: Get Relief from Sinus with these Home Remedies for Sinus Infection
Effective Exercise for TMJ Pain Relief
Here are five exercises that can help you minimize the symptoms of TMJ. However, consult a therapist before you start doing any of the natural remedies for TMJ. If these exercises worsen the pain or cause further discomfort, you should stop them immediately.
1. Resisted Mouth Closing
In this exercise, you will be applying some pressure to the chin while you close your mouth. To perform this, one of the most effective natural remedies for TMJ – Resisted mouth closing, involves applying some pressure to the chin while closing the mouth. To perform the exercise:
- Place your thumb under your chin.
- Now, put the index fingers between the ridge of the mouth and on the bottom of the chin.
- Then, with the help of the fingers and thumbs, apply gentle downward pressure to the chin while you close your mouth.
2. Resisted Mouth Opening
Same as the mouthing closing exercise, you can also apply gentle pressure to the chin while opening your mouth. To perform:
- Put two fingers under the chin and open the mouth slowly while using gentle pressure.
- Hold this position for at least 3 to 6 seconds.
- Then, gradually close your mouth.
3. Side-To-Side Jaw Movement
In this exercise, you will be moving your jaw from one side to another side. It will help you strengthen your jaw muscles. To perform:
- Bite down with the front teeth on an object. Do it gently. The object must not be thicker than one-quarter of an inch.
- Now, slowly move your jaw from one side to another.
- Once you feel the exercise becomes more accessible, increase the object’s thickness and repeat.
4. Tongue Up
In this exercise, you will slowly open and close your mouth while maintaining contact with the roof of the mouth. Do this exercise several times for better and quicker results.
5. Forward Jaw Movement
For this exercise, you will need a thin object. To perform:
- Hold a one-quarter of an inch thick object between your front teeth. Hold it gently.
- Move the jaw in a forward direction. This will set the bottom teeth in from the top teeth.
- Once you feel that it is becoming more accessible, replace the thin one with a thick object.
Also Read: Home Remedies For Dehydration That Always Works Effectively
Final Words
In some cases, TMJ disorders go away on their own. If your symptoms persist, natural remedies for TMJ may help bring pain relief. So, try these remedies and get relief from the excruciating pain. If still there is no change in your condition then you should visit your dentist.
