Many people suffering from chronic jaw pain are diagnosed with TMJ (Temporomandibular joint) disorder and advised to get surgery to correct it. However, surgery is very risky and should only be used as a last resort after other methods have failed. There are actually some TMJ therapy exercises that can be done at home that may actually give you a TMJ cure.
First let's talk about why some dentists and doctors will recommend using surgery to correct your TMJ problem. The honest and straightforward answer to that is, treating the TMJ disorder is a booming business. Many dentists know the first solution they suggest will not work and it will mean more visits for the same problem. Unscrupulous, huh?
If they claim to know more than they do about your disorder they will be able to get you to try treatments that are easy for them to profit from. They can get you to buy some products that will never work.
Here is an example:
Your disorder may be solely caused by stress and tension which causes you to grind your teeth or clench your jaws at night in your sleep. Your dentist tells you the cause is because you have a bad bite profile and the treatment is to sell you a piece of plastic that goes between your teeth called a mandibular orthopedic repositioning appliance. This device is designed to help you correct your bite. Sadly, if this is the treatment you go with and your problem has nothing to do with your bite, it can reposition your teeth and damage your TMJ so much the only way to repair the damage will be to have facial reconstructive surgery.
Unless your disorder was caused by an injury, and you should know the most common cause of the TMJ disorder is muscle tension, the chances of surgery being the best solution are very low. If however, your TMJ disorder is a physical condition then you should consider that most physical conditions are treated successfully with therapy.
Before we explain what some of the TMJ therapy plans consist of I want you to understand what the most recommended surgery these doctors and dentists are suggesting. This is a painful and expensive procedure that involves removing the disc that acts as a cushion between your jaw bone and the skull. This disc works the same as a disc in your back that cushions one vertebrate from another. After the disc is removed the joint is either reshaped or an artificial disc is inserted to take the place of the original. Doesn't that sound painful?!
If you are experiencing jaw pain and are diagnosed with the TMJ disorder and your doctor suggests this surgery as a treatment for your condition, you need to get a second and maybe even more opinions. The first course of action should be to try to use less expensive and less invasive treatments to try to affect a TMJ cure.
Here are some alternative home remedies to use for TMJ therapy:
• Stretches - TMJ therapy exercises are a great place to start. You can use these exercises to help relax, repair, and rebuild the muscles and tendons of your TMJ.
• Diet - Many things can be done in the way of adjusting your diet to relieve your jaw pain. You can cut down on coffee, soda and junk food that put a lot of stress on your body. You will want to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables but you need to be eating cooked or steamed vegetables because eating less crunchy foods will offer some relief for your jaw.
• Breathing - Yoga is a great choice because of the breathing exercises that go along with it. If you have never tried Yoga or if you are familiar with how it helps to relieve stress you will definitely want to make sure to give it a try focusing on the breathing exercises.
You can definitely find your TMJ cure through TMJ therapy exercises and doing a few other things that relieve stress and tension. Make sure you give these suggestions and others a try before you even consider using surgery for your TMJ disorder.
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