TMJ pain can be quite irksome and it can cause a whole lot of stress for people. It can give one sleepless night and hence, understanding the root cause of the issue and then managing the same effectively and efficiently is super important. It is to this end that we need to talk about TMJ pain and the basics to deal with the same. We are here to talk about some of the most interesting aspects of managing TMJ pain.
One of the important aspects of managing your TMJ pain is managing your posture. This is undoubtedly the most important thing that you have to keep in mind. In order to correct your posture, all you have to do is use a chair with a back support. This is super important. Make sure that you do it while you are working and while you take regular rests. When driving, position your seat as straight as possible. When engaging in leisure activities, such as reading or watching TV, find a spot where you can sit up straight and then support your back with a cushion.
How you manage the TMJ pain also depends on how you sleep; how you manage your sleep and how you take care of the posture and positions. Hence, you have to take special care of your posture and pay attention to it when you are sleeping at night. Make sure that you are using pillows to support your neck and sleep on your back to help reduce TMJ pain. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, and don’t put your hand on your jaw if you’re on your side.
Take notice of your bad habits because of these habits can be contributing to the TMJ pain. One effective way to counter the same is to identify the habits that cause you problem and act on the same. There can be a few inclinations you have that aggravate your TMD. These routines consist of: chewing one’s nails, gnawing on lips and cheeks, putting your hand over your jaw, gritting your teeth
clenching your teeth, tensing the muscles of the jaw pressing your tongue up against your teeth. Make a note of your everyday routines and write them down for your doctor to review. Remember how frequently you perform them.
Management of your TMJ pain also involves the management of some of the activities and also checking what you’re eating and the nature and type of food that you are chewing on. There are some meals and activities that might make you open your mouth violently or move your jaw wildly. Aim to stay away from the following: snorting or shouting, Hard or crunchy foods, taking hearty portions of food, foods that need to be chewed for a lengthy time and gum.