What Are The Options For TMJ Pain Treatment?
The pain of TMJ disorder affects millions of people around the world. This condition occurs when the temporomandibular joints, those between the upper and the lower jaw, are out of alignment or inflamed, resulting in various pain symptoms which can extend from the head to the shoulders.
In the majority of the cases, TMJ is the result of wear and tear. As a joint which receives a great deal of use, the TMJ is active when one is chewing, talking, yawning, singing and performing other like behaviors. Pain symptoms for temporomandibular joint sufferers are headaches, ear pain, sinus pain, facial muscle pain, jaw pain, neck pain and shoulder pain.
The majority of TMJ disorder cases are mild, happening infrequently and with pain that comes and goes on its own and typically does not last more than a day or two. But it can also be a severe pain that lasts for lengths of time and may come and go frequently. It is at these times that people wonder if there is any TMJ pain relief.
The treatment options available are many, beginning with prevention. They cover ways to make the TMJ stronger and increase range of motion in the TMJ, what to eat and do to alleviate TMJ pain. TMJ has attracted a lot of attention in recent years and new TMJ pain treatments are developed regularly. Over the counter pain medications, muscle relaxants, dental splints, bite therapy, warm compresses and a soft food diet may be used either separately or in combination to ease the patient’s discomfort.
When TMJ pain strikes, it is mainly that the joint is inflamed and the muscles are strained. Pain medication like such as aspirin or ibuprofen and muscle relaxants reduce the pain and tension on the TMJ. Having been diagnosed with TMJ, a person may receive dental splints or perhaps a mouth guard to use during the day or when asleep at night. These slip over the upper and lower teeth and are made of a soft, plastic material.
Dental splints help to prevent grinding of the teeth or clenching of the jaw that can cause a misalignment or stress of the jaw. The dental splint is custom fitted to each individual patient to ensure a proper fit that will lessen the strain on the muscles surrounding the joint
TMJ therapy, otherwise known as bite therapy, is a technique whereby dentists investigate the cause of someone’s TMJ. With a detailed evaluation of the mouth and jaw, bite therapy pin points the exact cause of the disorder and treatment can be more focused on for example, preventing a jaw clenching habit, stopping a gum chewing habit or even correcting an uneven bite that can also cause TMJ pain.
Some patients find relief by applying warm compresses to the areas of discomfort around the jaw, neck and shoulders. Putting a hand towel soaked in warm water over the painful area for about 15 to 20 minutes increases blood circulation on the area alleviating the pain. The dentist may also recommend a diet of soft foods for a time to lessen the workload on the joint. Not overworking the TMJ and not straining the muscles excessively will help in avoiding the pain.
My research has shown that many people find exercises such as those offered by TMJ No More, to be the most effective remedy for TMJ pain.
