Suffering from TMJ keeps one thing at the top of mind: how can you get TMJ relief, and fast? As of now, there’s not one particular cure for the disorder that impacts the jaw joints and surrounding muscles. However, there are a series of steps you can take on your exploration for relief that you can start today, many of which can lead to lasting, positive results.
TMJ disorder affects nearly 12% of the population – a frustratingly high statistic when you consider just how much the jaw joints are responsible for in your everyday life. One would hope that the joints and muscles could work in perfect harmony – but that’s not always the case.
Symptoms like headaches, joint pain, tight muscles, and popping or clicking can make it difficult or painful to get through necessary activities like chewing and speaking. Pleasurable activities like singing, exercising, and even kissing can sometimes make that pain worse.
On A Quest For TMJ Relief
This is why many folks who live with TMJ are on a constant quest for relief. In addition to seeking professional treatment, relying on and experimenting with a variety of healthy habits can improve your experience. Heck, they might even improve your quality of life.
The list below is not exhaustive. What offers TMJ relief to one person might not do the trick for another. Our skeletons may be nearly identical by design but everyone has a different set of circumstances and a back story that led them to their TMJ pain. Keep that in mind as you look over the remedies below, and focus on what works best for you.
10 Ways To Find TMJ Relief
Heat Therapy
One of the best at-home remedies for chronic TMJ pain is heat therapy. Apply heat via a microwaveable, wrapped compress for about 10-20 minutes throughout the day as needed.
Heat helps relax muscles, which can provide a tremendous amount of relief for jaw clenchers and grinders. Follow with a gentle self-massage for about two minutes to promote further blood flow.
Dry Needling Or Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a tried-and-trusted worldwide therapy that’s centuries old. A trained professional will place small needles into your skin just breaking through the surface to access and stimulate the fascia. Fascia is a connective tissue that surrounds your muscles. When it becomes tight, it can lead to chronic sore muscles, knots, and aches. An acupuncturist may insert needles at or around your masseter muscles, around your ears and jaw joint, and even in the back of your neck.
(Note: in some states, an certified acupuncturist requires years of training. In the states that require less training, practitioners cannot legally call their practice acupuncture and instead refer to it as dry needling.)
Low Impact Exercises
If you’re dealing with chronic pain or in the middle of a TMJ flare-up, take it easy on exercise. High-impact sports and activities can wreak havoc on the joints, and the jaw is no exception. It’s too easy to clench and grind during heavy exertion, which leads to aggravated muscles.
Running offers the jaw little to no support and can leave you with a headache or sore joints. Stick to walking, doing yoga, swimming, or low-impact, low-intensity strength workouts.
Less Caffeine, More Water
This might be the least popular treatment approach on this list, but it’s worth exploring if you want TMJ relief quickly. Caffeine is a mental stimulant that can actually trigger the muscles around the jaw to move more frequently and unintentionally.
Plus, it can heighten anxiety and stress in some individuals which can lead to further clenching and grinding throughout the day, and restless sleep at night.
New Sleeping Position
Stomach sleeping is one of the worst sleeping positions for those with TMJ pain. It’s essentially like walking around all day with your head turned to one side. This can agitate neck muscles and throw your whole upper body out of whack, not to mention hurt your jaw joint.
Try sleeping on your back or side sleeping with a pillow pulled to your chest for maximum support. These positions allow for proper spinal alignment throughout the night.
Hanging Upside Down
Once a day, experiment with hanging the top half of your body off the side of your bed with your hands dangling toward or resting on the floor. This approach won’t help with long-term TMJ relief, but it does offer short-term benefits.
You’ll improve your flexibility, get a quick neck realignment, and improve blood flow and circulation to your head. Plus, the switch up in gravity can make your head feel calmingly heavy and offer reprieve from headaches and tension.
Hot Baths
Folks affected by TMJ often report pain, tenderness, or discomfort around the jaw joint, masseter muscles, skull, neck, and sometimes shoulders. It’s for this reason that a hot bath can help soothe the muscular system as a whole.
Sprinkle a cup-full of epsom bath soak into the water. Epsom soaks contain magnesium that can alleviate stiffness and soreness.
CBD Cream
A CBD or CBD/THC hybrid cream can provide subtle joint or muscle relief and help you mellow out. Apply a small amount to your fingers. Rub it on the affected area (usually right around the joint or on the masseter muscles) a few times a day in gentle, circular motions.
Of course, stress leads to additional grinding and clenching. Creating a morning or nighttime ritual around self-massage and a CBD cream can help you feel relaxed and grounded. Plus, your muscles will thank you for the extra (very much needed) TLC.
Meditation
Believe it or not, meditation can be a powerful coping and healing tool that can also provide mental relief from TMJ pain. There are apps, like Curable, that focus entirely on helping chronic pain sufferers build a healthier, more positive relationship with their pain.
It sounds crazy, but it works. One of the first steps? Letting go of what you can’t control and learning to be comfortable with the discomfort. When you remove the power of pain, it frees up a great deal of energy.
Schedule An Appointment With A Dentist Or Specialist
Building out a custom self-care routine to help alleviate your symptoms and find TMJ relief is a great first step. But ultimately, a trusted local dentist or temporomandibular joint specialist will be able to provide you with advanced treatment options.
Treatment options through a professional might include oral splints, braces, physical therapy or surgery****. Visit a recommended professional and gather as much information as you can upfront before investing in an expensive or invasive treatment plan.
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Disclaimer: This content is meant to be informational and educational only and is not medical advice. This content does not substitute consulting with a medical or dental professional. Living With TMJ makes no claims to diagnose illness or injury. If you have a medical concern, you should consult with your healthcare provider or seek treatment immediately. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking treatment because of something you read in this blog, on this website, or in linked resources.