How Do You Cure TMJ?

Have you been experiencing pain behind the eyes? Do you have pricking pain on your cheek bone, temple and cheeks? Popping jaw joints? Clicking jaw joints? You must be suffering from a dental condition called Temporal Mandibular Joint or TMJ. You must have been experiencing Temporal Mandibular Joint pain or jaw pain TMJ.

TMJ pain is caused by the misalignment of the jaw joints, muscles and teeth. This misalignment causes pressure on the TMJ nerve channeled through the jaw joint thus causing pain and other problems. The condition is commonly called a bad bite. This pain or TMD itself is not fatal but could lead to more serious problems if left untreated.

What are the causes of this pain? One of the major causes of TMD is the extraction of a tooth which could cause a misalignment in a person’s bite. This is true especially if the extracted tooth is not replaced with an artificial one. In my case this is the main cause of my pain. However, stress both physical and mental, arthritis, previous injury and old age can all be causes of TMJ pain.

The initial short-term treatment for TMJ pain is by taking pain relievers. Mefenamic acid and Ibuprofen works and as recommended by my dentist. Long term treatment is by having a customised bite splint or occlusal splint. Splints are usually made of a semi plastic material that you will bite for 6 months, 24 hours a day.

The bite splint or the occlusal splint will realign your jaw to ease the pain in the nerve joints that causes pain. Afterward you have the option to have teeth braces to once again realign the teeth to proper positions or you can simply opt to wear the bite splint or the occlusal splint for a lifetime.

The best thing you can do for TMJ relief is to relax your jaw as much as possible. Since the area of discomfort and pain is in your jaw, it is this area that you need to focus on and relaxing your jaw whenever possible is the best way to cure the problem. How can you relax your jaw? This means avoid doing anything which would cause your jaw to work harder than it should.

Avoid hard foods as much as possible and instead opt for soft food that doesn’t require as much work while chewing. You may have to stop eating your overcooked steaks or any kind of food which is excessively hard to chew or very chewy and requires a lot of work by your jaws. This also means avoiding gum or any kind of habit that involves unnecessary chewing. These are just a few tips that anyone who suffers from TMJ should try before they seek medical treatment.

If your TMJ persists you will need to seek medical advice. You should not neglect going to see your doctor if you also experience from great discomfort and pain in your jaw area. Even though many people prefer to use natural alternative ways over visiting their doctor, if you find that the alternative methods did not provide any relief, the good news is that there are multiple medical solutions ranging from drugs to surgery.

There are a wide range of drugs that can be used such as muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory drugs, and there is also the option of surgery. Always seek out alternative methods first before opting to go with surgery as you may find that you can get TMJ relief naturally without the need for surgery.

Courtesy of ezinearticles.com by Katrina B Sanchez