Your Poor Posture is Worsening Your TMJ Symptoms
Remember your mother telling you to sit up straight? If you have poor posture, especially while sitting, chances are you are making your TMJ symptoms even worse or causing it to happen in the first place. There is often a direct correlation between poor posture and TMJ, and, luckily, there are ways to treat it to ease your TMJ and TMD symptoms. Keep reading to learn more about poor posture and TMJ and how you can get TMJ treatment to stop the pain.
How Are Poor Posture and TMJ Related?
There are many causes of TMJ and TMD disorders, including:
- Jaw or face injury
- Teeth grinding or clenching, especially for long periods of time while sleeping
- Arthritis in your jaw joint
- Malocclusion, dental problems, or dental work
- Stress
- Poor posture
In addition, there are many things that can make existing TMJ and TMD disorders worse, including:
- Excessive chewing, such as chewing gum, pens, pencils, or other items
- Chewing on ice
- Taking big bites of food, such as hamburgers or large sandwiches
- Frequently chewing on crunchy foods
- Poor posture
Poor posture is placed on both lists, which means that your posture is extremely important and directly affects your TMJ and TMD disorder. The misalignment that poor posture can cause will affect your TMJ muscles as your shoulders and neck have extra strain on them.
What Can I Do About Bad Posture?
If you have poor posture that you believe is making your TMJ symptoms worse, there are ways you can correct it, including:
- Sit with your back touching the chair
- Set an alarm for every 30 minutes to remind yourself and train your body, to sit up or stand up straight
- Spend some time everyday stretching your muscles to stay loose
- Stay active, as exercise can naturally help your posture
- Seek TMJ treatment if your posture improves, but your TMJ symptoms do not
TMJ Treatment with Dr. Krissy Connor, Advanced Sleep and TMJ Solutions
Dr. Krissy Connor received her BSN in 2001 at the Marquette University School of Nursing. She was an emergency room nurse at Aurora Sinai Medical Center for 3 years before attending the Marquette University School of Dentistry to receive her DDS degree in 2008. She completed a post-graduate residency in Advanced Education in General Dentistry at the Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI. Her background as a nurse motivated her to seek an area of dentistry where she could use her wide variety of skills and clinical experience to better serve her community. She has been collaborating with physicians to treat patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea using oral appliance therapy since 2014.
Beyond her accomplishments, Dr. Connor is a mother to three beautiful daughters. Her husband, Dr. Michael Connor, is a Neurologist who shares in her passion for healthcare.
Dr. Connor has been improving the lives of patients as the owner of Hypnos Inc. in Brookfield, WI. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Sleep and Breathing Academy.
Learn more at advancedsleepandtmjsolutions.com!
