The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) is the joint that connects your jaw bones to the skull. If this joint is injured or damaged, it can cause a lot of pain. TMJ is caused by an injury to the jaw or teeth, poor posture, misalignment of teeth or gum chewing.
If the right treatment is not given, TMJ could lead to hearing loss. This article discusses the first signs and symptoms of TMJ, how to treat TMJ, jaw exercises for TMJ and home treatments for TMJ.
Signs And Symptoms of TMJ
The signs and symptoms of the temporomandibular joint syndrome include pain in the jaw joint, jaw clicking and popping, ear pain, popping sounds in ears, stiff or sore jaw muscles, pain in the temple area, or locking of the jaw joint. Due to TMJ, the pain in the ears is often misinterpreted as an ear problem. The face and mouth might become swollen. Due to muscle spasms, there might be difficulty in swallowing.
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Jaw Exercises For TMJ Relief
TMJ is excruciatingly painful. It is better to treat it before the pain becomes unbearable. TMJ can be treated by some at-home jaw exercises.
Exercise 1: For the first exercise you can move your jaw to the left, and hold it there for ten seconds. Now, you have to return to the middle and move your jaw to the right. Again you have to hold it there for ten seconds. You can repeat this exercise for as many times as you want. This is quite effective for relieving TMJ pain.
Exercise 2: The second exercise you can try is by opening your mouth and moving the tip of your tongue upwards. Your tongue should be touching the roof of your mouth. After this, move your tongue backward, towards your tonsils. This will help in stretching the jaw muscles. Repeat this exercise till you get some relief.
Exercise 3: The third exercise that you can try is by sitting erect and moving your lower jaw from left to right. Now, repeat the exercise by moving your lower jaw up and down. Make sure you do this exercise without straining your neck.
Exercise 4: The fourth exercise is to yawn. Yes, you read that right! Yawn as wide as you can and keep repeating this yawning exercise till you get some relief. Make sure you do not hurt yourself.
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TMJ Home Treatment
Along with jaw exercises, there are a couple of home treatments that help you relieve from pain and get rid of TMJ.
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#1. Change Sitting Habits: Make a habit of sitting with your back straight. Wrong and defective sitting postures are the main causes of TMJ. If your job requires long hours of sitting, make sure your chair is comfortable and supportive. Take breaks and stretch your body by taking a stroll.
#2. Hot Massage: Heat is the cure to many pains including TMJ pain. Apply heat on the affected area to get some relief from the pain. Use a heating pad or a hot-water bottle for this.
#3. Cold Packs: You can also use ice packs for relief. Apply an ice cold pack on the jaw area, and this will numb the muscles and provide comfort to you.
#4. Plain Body Massage: A simple body massage using essential oils will help you in relaxing and will take your mind off the pain. Massages regulate blood circulation and provide relief from the TMJ pain.
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#5. Herbs: You can use herbs like Rhus Toxicodendron that helps to loosen stiff jaw, Valerian Officinalis that assist in relaxing muscular tension. Magnesia Phosphorica eases stiff muscles, Kava is beneficial in relaxing the nervous system, and Kali Phosphorica reduces the nerve pain.
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