Learn more about the different ways to relieve your TMJ pain.
Do you find yourself waking up to yet another headache? Do your jaws pop when you open them to eat? Do your jaws feel overworked, achy or in pain? If so, you could be dealing with a condition known as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). While TMJ disorder will often resolve on its own, this doesn’t mean that you simply have to put up with the pain until it goes away. From the office of our Mt. Pleasant, MI, dentist Dr. Keith Bever, Jr., here are some effective solutions for alleviating your TMJ-related jaw pain.
Eat Softer Foods
One way to prevent TMJ flare-ups is to eat a diet that is full of soft foods that don’t require a lot of chewing. Think, antioxidant-rich smoothies, scrambled eggs or a frittata over that huge, overloaded sandwich. Trust us; your jaws will thank you.
Cut Food into Manageable Pieces
Look, we’re not saying that you have to say no to burgers or pizza forever, but you may simply want to cut these foods into bite-sized pieces rather than just tearing a huge bite from it. Yes, we know that cutting your food may not be ideal, but it can ease TMJ-related pain and stiffness and make mealtimes more enjoyable.
Use Heat or Cold
You may wish to apply a towel-wrapped cold compress or moist heat to your jaws for up to 10 minutes at a time throughout the day. Cold compresses can help numb the pain and reduce swelling while heat can also be used to reduce pain and achiness. Test them both out to see which one works best for you and your symptoms.
Perform Self Massages
Do you, like most people, hold tension in your face, jaws and neck? If so, then you could be making your TMJ worse. Along with finding ways to manage your stress and tension, it’s also a good idea to gently massage your jaws and face every day to ease stiffness and discomfort. Talk to our Mt. Pleasant, MI, family dentist about exercises and stretches you can do daily to ease TMJ symptoms.
Are you dealing with jaw pain, stiffness and other symptoms of TMJ here in Mt. Pleasant, MI? If so, turn to our dental team to find out what’s going on and how to best manage your symptoms. To schedule a consultation, call us at (989) 773-9793.