Home Remedies For TMJ Pain Relief
Hello, this is Dr. Mike Gallagher and I fully understand and empathize with the amount of pain, discomfort, and tenderness in jaw joints, the face, neck, ears, shoulders, and upper back pain that my patients suffer from with TMJ.
TMJ facial pain and headaches impact about 10% to 15% of Americans, adversely affecting their quality of life and making daily tasks more difficult. Many TMD sufferers experience trouble sleeping, eating, and other activities that make day-to-day living more difficult and stressful.
Bad Habits to Break for Relieving TMJ Headaches and Facial Pain
Here’s my top 3 recommendations for effective relief that won’t negatively impact your overall wellness and it starts with identifying and breaking some very bad habits that you may not realize you are doing:
• Biting Your Nails: This is very bad for your TMJ condition and is detrimental to TMJ pain. I also recommend against chewing on ice, pens, and other non-food items. Gum chewing should also be avoided by TMJ/TMD patients that are undergoing therapy and in recovery.
• Using your teeth top open objects: Please refrain from ever using your teeth to open objects, use the proper tool or a scissor instead. Your teeth should never be used when opening objects, it creates unnecessary stress on your TMJs which will make your headaches even worse.
• Teeth Grinding: I understand that stress and anxiety is common with those that suffer from TMJ and if it is causing you to grind your teeth, I urge you to look for ways to reduce your stress so you don’t make your condition worse. Teeth grinding is terrible for your TMJs. If you are grinding your teeth, it is important that you seek help for this. I have patients that have achieved great relief from one of my custom-fit oral appliances or nightguard for protecting against this.
Home Remedies for Minimizing TMJ Facial Pain and Headaches
Jaw exercises and the proper sleep positioning are an essential self-help home remedy, there are other home remedies that you can try that are effective in minimizing TMJ facial pain and headaches. At your appointment, I am happy to give you visual demonstrations on jaw exercises and stretches that you can complete at home or at work. We’re happy to give you more detailed guidance on proper sleep positions, soft food diet for TMD recovery, travel tips, and all the support you need.
More About Gallagher Dentistry & Facial Pain Center
Dr. Michael Gallagher and our Eden Prairie Dentistry team are committed to providing exceptional care and empowering our patients with information about their dental health. If you have any questions about our services or would like to schedule an appointment, we invite you to give us a call at (952) 942-9600. The outstanding experience of our dental team, Dr. Gallagher, and the skills of our staff have helped us in successfully treating our patient’s oral problems. We’re always welcoming new patients throughout Eden Prairie, Chanhassen, Bloomington, Minnetonka, Edina, Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Burnsville, Plymouth, Eagan, Richfield and surrounding areas. For more information, please contact us!
