Soothe TMJ Pain With Simple Exercises

TMJ disorder can strike without you realizing that it's been building up for a long time. A direct blow to the jaw could throw the temporamandibular joint out of alignment. It could have been caused by grinding your teeth when you sleep, something you can't help doing as this is involuntary. It could have been caused by you clenching your teeth, whether it's also an involuntary reaction to stress or done out of a habit of chewing on things like pencils, fingernails, or chewing gum. It could also be caused by teeth that are improperly aligned. All these causes put enormous stress on your jaw muscles and cause them to wear out, making them go into spasms that in turn produce pain.

And this pain isn't just restricted to your jaw. TMJ pain tends to be wide-reaching, affecting other parts of your body. What you thought might have been just a simple headache or a migraine could actually be an offshoot of your TMJ disorder. Even your neck and your shoulders are not safe from TMJ pain, since the pain could radiate to these areas as well. Another inconvenient result of TMJ disorder is a strange clicking or grinding sound that you hear every time you open you mouth wide.

Pain medication is generally recommended when dealing with TMJ syndrome and, in some extreme cases, even surgery. But you can try doing some soothing jaw exercises to alleviate TMJ pain or simply to relax your face and your jaws. Here are some therapy exercises for TMJ that you can try:

• While standing in front of a mirror, open your mouth slowly. You might notice that your jaw is misaligned, so move it slowly and try to align it. This will take some effort because of your jaw's weakened muscles. Do 10 sets of this and remember to take your time.


• Stick your tongue to the roof of your mouth and gently open your mouth wide, keeping your tongue in place.


• Press your finger on either side of your jaw and open your mouth, maintaining the pressure the whole time. This pressure can help keep your jaw properly aligned.


• After each TMJ jaw exercise, loosen up your jaw by shaking your chin quickly. Stop the motion if it causes you pain.

These TMJ disorder exercises are not meant to cure you of your TMJ pain entirely, but they will ease the pain you feel and help you learn to relax your face and jaws.