Your Jaw Pain Might Be TMJ
Are you experiencing jaw pain? It might be TMJ. TMJ is a difficult condition that only ever gets worse unless you make some simple lifestyle changes or seek treatment. Luckily, there are many things you can do for jaw pain, other than seeking pain management, for long-term success. Keep reading to learn what to do if you’re experiencing jaw pain and how to get the best results out of TMJ treatment.
Focus On Managing Your Stress
It’s true: Stress can make your jaw pain worse. If you have been experiencing a particularly stressful time in your life, it is time to find ways to manage your stress. Exercise, meditation, self-care, and therapy are great ways to reduce stress levels.
Bruxism is a condition where a person grinds, clenches, or gnashes his or her teeth; it can occur when awake or asleep. Bruxism that happens while a person is awake is more common, but bruxism that happens during sleep has been studied more. Children, as well as adults, can have this condition. It can worsen when someone experiences stress, which is why stress management is so important for jaw pain.
Change Your Eating Habits
If you’re experiencing TMJ-like jaw pain, give your jaw a break and change your eating habits. Eating certain foods in certain ways can make jaw pain flare up. By allowing your jaw muscles to rest, you will find your symptoms to be much better. Some ways to change your eating habits include:
- Avoid crunchy or hard foods
- Avoid foods that require you to open your mouth wide, such as hamburgers or apples
- Cut your food into smaller pieces so that you do not have to open as wide
- Opt for softer foods for a while to see if it helps your pain
Adjust Your Sleep Habits
TMJ can worsen through different sleeping positions. In addition, TMJ and sleep apnea are linked, which can worsen your overall symptoms. As such, it is important to sleep on your back or side when you are suffering from TMJ symptoms.
Sleeping on your stomach can worsen your jaw pain. If you also experience snoring, daytime sleepiness, or weight gain, you may also be experiencing sleep apnea due to your TMJ pain.
See Your Dentist
If you can’t seem to find any relief from your jaw pain, it is time to make an appointment with a TMJ specialist dentist. Advanced Sleep and TMJ Solutions can help you with our noninvasive approach and get you feeling pain-free again for the long-term.
Dr. Connor has a national reputation for treating patients suffering from TMJ/TMD. Her revolutionary, noninvasive methods can almost instantly relieve the pain you have been suffering. Dr. Connor’s holistic approach to treating TMJ requires no pills or surgery, and it treats the root cause so that once treatment is complete, your TMJ will be nothing more than a distant memory.
For more information, visit us at advancedsleepandtmjsolutions.com!
