If you are a TMJ sufferer, it may become a chronic condition with severe symptoms affecting the jaw and facial muscles. It also affects the ability to properly use the jaw causing locking of the jaw a well as teeth grinding especially at night. Its effects may also include difficult swallowing, earaches and oral pain.

Any patient with TMJ is familiar with the problems the condition causes in a person’s life. Adapting to TMJ is not always easy because of the recurrent attacks of pain and stress which can greatly affect the overall quality of life. Restriction of jaw movement affects various actions one may take for granted such as eating, talking and swallowing and can therefore become a constant nuisance.
There are a variety of treatments available for TMJ however.

These include:

Medical treatment in the form of over the counter medications for pain relief, relaxing muscles as well as anti-inflammatory drugs to relief symptoms of inflammation including pain. However, these drugs have their undesirable side-effects.

There is also the option of physiotherapy to alleviate pain, relieve muscle spasms and correct jaw alignment. Both cold and heat therapy may be used. Reducing stress levels and avoiding stressors along with various relaxation techniques are greatly beneficial.

Dental management of any possible underlying causes such as misaligned teeth may require correction. A biteplate may also be prescribed by your dentists to improve alignment and to prevent teeth grinding, especially at night.

Surgery is usually kept as a last resort after all other solutions have failed. It is a drastic measure and should be thought out carefully, beforehand. Endoscopic or open procedures may be used for treatment.

There is also the option of natural remedies as and alternative to traditional TMJ treatments. The greatest benefit of natural remedies of course is the absence of side effects associated with medications and surgeries.

A very satisfying approach to manage TMJ symptoms is massage therapy. By using massage therapy on the affected areas of the jaw, temples, scalp, head, shoulders, neck and back, the muscles become relaxed and the state of tension is relieved. The patient’s stress levels are also reduced. This type of massage therapy is best applied to a patient in a seated position. It is an efficient and effective way to alleviate TMJ symptoms. Pressure should be applied by the tips of the fingers to areas of pain and soreness. The jaw joint can then by stretched for a few moments by opening the mouth and massaging of the affected area then ensues for a few more moments.

Since stress is an important underlying cause of TMJ, massage therapy with the aim of relieving stress can also be a very effective remedy. A chair massage once a week should produce great results by reducing stress and tension levels and therefore eliminating the root cause.

A type of massage known as “on-site” massage can be used to relieve stress right in the middle of stressful conditions, such as the office. It is easy and can be done without the help of a masseur or masseuse.

Other remedies that can be used together with massage therapy to produce better overall results is dietary modification. TMJ patients should eat softer foods and avoid chewy or hard foods. Making a conscious effort to avoid stressful situations and excessive jaw clenching is also advisable. Rubbing the affected area with a warm towel a couple of times a day may provide relief of some of the symptoms. While these treatments appear simple, if regularly applied, they will produce fantastic results.

There are two main aspects of your lifestyle you’ll need to modify in order to treat TMJ. These are diet and jaw exercises. Dietary modification for the treatment is not widely practiced by physicians but changing a few things here and there in your diet can prove to be greatly beneficial.

The most important thing you have to look at when choosing your food is its consistency. The jaw, especially if in a fragile and damaged state, should not be overworked. Excessive straining on hard or chewy foods will result in the symptoms becoming even worse. That is why soft foods that require less effort to bite and chew are always preferable.

As for jaw exercises, these are simple and can be done in the comfort of your own home, in front of your mirror. They aim to relieve the tension and spasm in the jaw muscles thus helping to correct the jaw alignment. These should be observed regularly to produce tangible results.

Never neglect to consult your physician regarding your condition. Keep in mind that not all TMJ patients are the same and some conditions are more grave than others, therefore requiring a different type of treatment to alleviate the symptoms and prevent their recurrence.

This person was telling me he had been on medication for a few years but it didn’t change anything and didn’t improve his TMJ.

After exchanging a few tweets, this user asked me what I thought was best. At this point, I told him that I wrote a TMJ ebook with TMJ exercises. He was really excited about my exercises. I gave him a couple exercises to practice and after a while, he asked me where he could get a copy of my ebook.

So I directed him to www.TMJ-Help.org so he can buy his own copy of the TMJ Help Program. He obviously checked out the site and got back to me a little later saying: “Not into a $49 ebook… I much prefer a $0 prescription”

I replied that it was fine. I didn’t even try to convince this person. It is so sad that some people still think that drugs will make them feel better. I don’t care much about these people. One day hopefully, they will realize that they’ve been wasting their time taking drugs that don’t do anything but masking the symptoms.