Tmj Treatment | Tmj Symptom : Cure Tmj the Natural Way

TMJ Treatment | TMJ Symptom : Cure TMJ the Natural Way

Firstly, let's define what TMJ really means? TMJ is the commonly used acronym for temporomandibular joint disorder. The pain associated with TMJ is thought to be caused by displacement of the cartilage where the lower jaw connects to the skull causing pressure and stretching of the associated sensory nerves. TMJ is pain resulting from the wear and tear caused by overuse of the temporomandibular joint. Stress, tension and anxiety often contribute to overuse, as each of these conditions can cause people to grind their teeth or clench their jaws excessively.

Many TMJ patients are unaware of the cause of their condition. A number have TMJ symptoms that do not interfere with their lives. And the symptoms can be both nerve racking and painful such as:

* Patients with TMJ often grind their teeth (bruxism) to find a comfortable bite.
* Deviation of the lower jaw to one side on opening. This is called mandibular opening deviation.
* Continual jaw muscle spasm can cause muscle shortening with limited opening. Looking at the side of a person's face, you can often make out the lower jaw.The bottom of the lower jaw is usually parallel to the floor. However, many TMD patients have a sharp downward angle. This TMJ symptom is call a steep mandibular plane angle.
* When the corners of the mouth get red, swollen and painful. It's called angular chelitis and is also seen when denture patients have worn out dentures.
* It is not unusual to see swelling of a TMJ patient's face. This TMJ symptom is called facial edema. Some sufferers have unusual movements of their necks (cervical torticollis) and lower jaws. (mandibular torticollis).
* TMJ sufferers often have pain in one or both of the jaw joints and TMJ pain is common. The jaw joints may have clicking and popping noises. These are called TMJ noises.

Until now even doctors don't really know how to cure TMJ permanently. All they do is prescribed strong pain killer for temporary relief. All these medicines fail. Even if they reduce the pain a little for a while in the beginning, they'll stop working little by little as your body gets immune to them.

TMJ Treatment Exercises

The purpose of the TMJ exercises is to prevent clicking of the jaw and to strengthen muscles which pull your jaw backwards. It will relax the muscle which pull the jaw forwards or to one side as you open your mouth, and this will take the strain off your joints.

Set aside two 5 minute periods every day, at a time when you are relaxed and have nothing on your mind. One good time is just before you go to bed, another is perhaps when you get home from work. Sit upright in a chair and carry out the following manoeuvres:

1. Close your mouth on your back teeth, resting the tip of your tongue on your palate, just behind the upper front teeth.

2. Run the tip of your tongue backwards on to the soft palate as far back as it will go, keeping the teeth in contact.

3. Force the tongue back to maintain contact with your soft palate and slowly open your mouth until you feel your tongue just being pulled away from the soft palate. Do not try to open your mouth further. Keep it in this position for five seconds and then close your mouth. Relax for five seconds.

4. Repeat this manoeuvre slowly over the next five minutes in a firm, but relaxed, fashion.
Thousands of people have already used these exercises to permanently cure their TMJ. Considering how complex this condition is, it's amazing how well they work for many people.

Another proven TMJ Exercise

1. A deviation is an unwanted shifting of the jaw to one side. When many TMJ patients open their mouths, their jaws deviate to one side. Almost always the jaw shifts towards the jaw joint that is damaged. Over time the good side of the mouth becomes overused and develops problems. This TMJ exercise is used to help reeducate the jaw to open correctly. It must be done in front of a mirror so that you can actually see your jaw open and close.

2. Try and open your mouth straight. This will take some effort because the weak muscles on the bad side will not want to function correctly when you ask them. Open and close correctly for ten openings and take a rest. Repeat another ten openings again and take a rest. Finally repeat ten more. This is called three sets of ten. Do three sets of ten three or four times each day.

3. Stretching can be done by slowly opening your mouth as wide and you comfortably can and then slowly closing. Then slowly opening to the left side as wide as you comfortably can and then slowly closing. Then slowly opening to the right side as wide as you comfortably can and then slowly closing. Repeat these movements until your muscles feel better. You can do this stretching exercise while driving, watching TV, before bed, at work, and during a lot of other times.

4. The next step is to assist your jaw in doing these stretches by using your hand to gently go a bit further than just by opening your mouth yourself. Do not use a lot of force! Do each of the stretching movements as previously described above but use your hand to open a little bit more than you could only with your mouth. If this causes a lot of pain, don't do it.

5. You can increase the blood flow to your muscles by placing moist hot towels on the sides of your face while you do this exercise. Run a sink with hot water until it fills up about half way. Adjust the hot water so that you can touch it with your hands and it doesn't burn. Place two hand towels in the hot water and then wring the two towels out. Quickly fold the towels up neatly and place one on each side of your face. Do your stretching exercise until the towels become cold. You can continue to reheat the towels and repeat the exercise until your muscles feel better.

There are also methods that worked for other people but not proven that could for others. Well it's worth of a try for people that's just starting to suffer TMJ symptoms. It may lead to your TMJ treatment or some other ways will work for you.

* Changing your diet, especially to get more magnesium
* Using a fanny pack instead of a purse
* Using extra sharp knives in the kitchen
* Seeing a physical therapist who specialized in ergonomics and posture
* Doing yoga postures and ergonomic stretches every day
* Using a back roller
* Trigger point therapy and moist heat
* Reading and studying the books listed above on yoga, repetitive stress injuries and body alignment