How Lifestyle Changes Can Alleviate TMJ Symptoms
Living with a TMJ disorder often means being on constant alert for triggers. Any movement that affects the temporomandibular joint may cause a flare-up of pain that can derail your day until it’s under control.
The TMJ is the delicate joint responsible for moving your jaw when you talk, chew, and yawn, so controlling it can be a challenge. If you forget, you’re reminded in the form of jaw pain, headaches, sinus pain, facial muscle soreness, or even back pain.
While a TMJ specialist is your best resource for information and treatment options, there are some lifestyle changes you can make that can lessen your chance of triggering behaviors or flare-ups. Learn more about triggers in this article by JS Dental Lab, then follow these tips to work on managing your TMJ symptoms at home.
1. Start With Your Stress Load
While stress is a normal part of life for almost everyone, how you handle those internal and external pressures is unique to you. However, this factor is direclty linked to many TMJ flare-ups because stress is also connected to a sleep disorder called bruxism.
Bruxism happens when you grind your teeth and clench your jaw in your sleep. This nocturnal grinding and clenching can go on for hours without you realizing it. These behaviors put substantial pressure on your TMJ, leading to the disorder or exacerbating it if it’s already a problem.
The best way to reduce stress is to eliminate the things that are causing it, but that’s not always possible. Instead, try to control how you handle the stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Release them through enjoyable or relaxing habits, such as meditation, yoga, exercise, journaling, listening to soothing music, or engaging in other fun activities. Your TMJ pain and your overall health depend on it!
2. Stay Away From Hard and Sticky Objects
Many of us having nervous or chronic habits that we don’t even realize we’re doing. Are you a nail or pen cap biter? Do you chew on ice cubes for relaxation? Is chewing gum a normal part of your day?
All of these behaviors cause your jaw muscles to work harder, which inflames the TMJ. They also cause wear and tear on your teeth and damage to your gums.
Until your TMJ is under control, try to break those habits and skip those chewy steak dinners and crunchy veggies. Eating or chewing hard and sticky objects will likely trigger your pain.
3. Become a Back Sleeper
Breaking our sleeping positions is sometimes even harder than quitting chronic nail-biting or gum-chewing habits. But if you’re a grinder or you have TMJ issues, sleeping on your side or stomach puts extra stress on your jaw.
Try switching your pillows or sleeping in a recliner for a few nights until you get used to laying on your back. The extra relief your jaw muscles and joints get will make this inconvenience worthwhile.
4. Just Say No to Tobacco, Drugs, and Alcohol
Even if you’re not a child of the ‘80s, you’ve heard of the “just say no” campaign to avoid drugs, tobacco, and alcohol. If any of these products are in your daily life, your TMJ pain is yet another reason to quit.
Tobacco, drugs, alcohol, and, to a lesser extent, caffeine, cause chemical reactions in your brain that increase stress and adrenaline. These responses lead to grinding and clenching, irritating your already sensitive TMJ. Chewing tobacco and smoking also involve the jaw muscles, causing an increase in overwork and swelling.
Tobacco and drugs have the extra drawback of damaging your teeth and gums. When your teeth are decaying and your gums are receding from gum disease, the damage extends to your jaw, increasing the pain of your TMJ disorder.
5. Wear a Splint
Your TMJ specialist may recommend an oral splint to relieve your TMJ symptoms. If they do, be sure to follow their directions and wear it consistently.
There are two many kinds of splints used for TMJ therapy: stabilization and repositioning splints.
The stabilization splint is used for patients who grind their teeth. Also called a night guard, this device covers the bottom or top arch of teeth, preventing them from touching and keeping the jaw in its natural position. It’s worn while you sleep to stop the grinding and clenching behaviors.
Repositioning splints are suggested when the jaw has shifted from its natural position because of a TMJ occlusion, tooth loss, accident, or other issues. These splints are worn all the time (although removed during meals) to shift the bite into alignment.
Those with TMJ disorders should always contact their specialist before using splint therapy, as wearing the wrong one or using a night guard with an improper fit can worsen the problem.
Conclusion
Life with TMJ may seem like a neverending job of avoiding and minimizing flare-ups, but it doesn’t have to be a 24/7 task. These five simple lifestyle changes can help you reduce your symptoms and manage your TMJ disorder without constant vigilance.
