How to Cope With TMJ
Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ) can be excruciatingly painful to deal with. While jaw pain is a common symptom of TMJ, many TMJ sufferers also deal with headaches, neck aches and pain in other parts of the body. Most TMJ sufferers clench their teeth, making it essential to avoid stress as much as possible. TMJ is undoubtedly a difficult illness with which to live, but there are coping techniques that can help alleviate symptoms and allow you to a more normal life with less pain.
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Instructions
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Find a oral and maxillofacial surgeon you trust and with whom you can work to find a suitable treatment. There are many treatments available for TMJ from wearing a mouthpiece to taking daily medications. You just need to find the one, or the combination, that works best for you.
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Breathe deeply and relax. Stress can cause flare-ups of pain, regardless of what medications you are on or what treatments you are undergoing, so you must learn to breathe deeply, to relax and to let go of your stress the best that you can.
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Discover how you best deal with stress, because everybody deals with stress differently. Use that method consistently to avoid stress as much as possible. You may find that a relaxing bath helps ease your stress or you might best deal with stress by taking a brisk walk; do what works best for you.
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Meditate. The Mayo Clinic recommends meditation as a way to better cope with TMJ. Because meditation requires you to slow your breathing, your muscles, including your jaw muscles, will begin to relax and you will be able to relieve your stress and your TMJ symptoms.
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Try yoga. A popular TMJ coping method is yoga, which requires you to focus on your posture, breathing and movement, and it will help your body to relax which, in turn, will help you better cope with your TMJ.
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Put warm compresses on the spots where there is pain. Warm compresses may help to soothe your pain and to reduce any muscle spasms with which you are dealing.
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Join a TMJ support group. Dealing with TMJ on a daily basis can be difficult, and having others to talk with and to vent with can often make it more bearable.
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Tips & Warnings
TMJ can be controlled if you find the right treatment for you. However, you must stay committed to your treatment, even after you start to feel better, if you want to continue to feel better.
