Have you been experiencing chronic jaw pain when you chew food or open your mouth too wide? If any of these sounds like you, you might just be suffering from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
Don’t fret just yet. TMJ is not a permanent condition. You can get it fixed and have your jaw working perfectly in no time. Listed below are 5 TMJ treatments that will help you relieve and manage your TMJ pain:
1. PHYSIOTHERAPY
Physiotherapy is one of the best ways to take the guesswork out of your recovery. A physiotherapist who specializes in the myofascial release is able to assess the soft tissue and muscles around your jaw, neck, head and spine. This allows them to easily identify strained muscle in those parts of the body and apply necessary treatments. Physiotherapists can also provide you with tips on how to prevent or treat future occurrences of TMJ.
2. COLD AND HOT PACK THERAPY
The cold and hot pack therapy has been tested and confirmed to effectively relieve pain caused by TMJ. You can easily practice this on your own by Placing a pack of ice wrapped in a cloth over the affected joint for ten minutes and then replace immediately with a hot pack (a piece of cloth heated with hot water). Place this hot pack on the affected spot for another ten minutes. Do this repeatedly for at least two to three times. This therapy is effective because it reduces spasms in the affected jaw muscle.
3. MINIMIZE CHEWY FOODS
The only way to fix TMJ is by relieving the jaw muscle of stress. Abstaining from chewy food during this period will hasten your recovery as the jaw won’t require to do so much work in breaking down food. Sticky foods also require a lot of chewing that may pose adverse effects on the health of your jaw muscles and also delay your recovery. When treating TMJ, it is advised to Keep gum and candy chewing to the least minimum. This will help your jaw muscles heal faster and also quicken your recovery.
4. TAKE MEDICATIONS
Medications to treat TMJ are mostly over-the-counter medications that you can easily get in drug stores. There are a number of medications that work effectively in relieving pain caused by TMJ, a few of which include; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin and ibuprofen.
5. USE MOUTHGUARDS
Mouthguards also referred to as splints can either be prescribed to you in a physiotherapy clinic or by a dentist. Whichever the case may be, mouthguards are specially designed to fit over the teeth. This helps you prevent close contact between your upper and lower jaw, resulting in reduced grinding of teeth. The mouthguard helps your jaw muscles heal faster as it reduces the amount of stress you put on your jaw muscles and joints during recovery.