Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Pain is pain that occurs in the jaw. It can cause pain in the jaw, jaw stiffness, neck pain and stiffness, headaches, and even vertigo. TMJ pain can have a sudden onset or come on gradually. Sometimes, there is no previous injury or trauma and patients experience TMJ pain without warning. This can be due to high levels of stress, hormonal changes, or even posture adjustments.
When you’re dealing with jaw pain or TMJ pain, you need fast remedies. TMJ pain can interfere with work, hobbies, quality of life, and simple wellness. At Elite Chiropractic and Sport, we are here to help, with natural TMJ pain relief remedies in Columbia, MD.
Explore at-home treatments for TMJ pain relief fast and our approach to long-lasting TMJ pain treatment that won’t keep re-occurring.
Articles on elitechirosport.com are not medical advice; always consult with your primary physician or a chiropractor in person before completing any new exercise or stretching routine.
Why Do I Experience Jaw Pain?
Jaw pain can come on after a traumatic incident or injury, like a sports incident or a car accident. However, sometimes TMJ pain happens gradually. This is likely due to hormonal changes, an increase in stress, or even your posture.
At Elite Chiropractic and Sport, part of our approach to treating TMJ pain naturally in Columbia, MD is identifying the root cause of the pain. This could be the jaw muscles, a neck injury, ergonomics at a new job, or repetitive impact from a hobby, sport, or other activity.
Natural Treatments for Jaw Pain
Chiropractic Adjustments
The first recommendation for long-lasting jaw pain relief is chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractors at Elite Chiropractic and Sport in Columbia, MD take a well-rounded approach to jaw pain relief. We don’t just look at the jaw, but at body tension, posture, lifestyle, and stress, and how those impact your muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Long-lasting natural pain relief for TMJ in Columbia, MD includes identifying all the muscles involved in moving your jaw and how each of them responds to pressure, stress, and movement. Sometimes the answer to TMJ pain relief fast is finding that one muscle and relieving the tension in a central location vs temporary fixes like a teeth guard.
Posture Improvements
As part of ongoing TMJ pain relief, you may be recommended posture improvements to help with jaw pain relief. Once the muscles in your jaw have been assessed and treated for tension relief, the root cause may go back to poor posture.
The chiropractic team at Elite Chiro has easy posture tip videos for clients of all ages – whether you’re sitting at a desk all day, working from home, or just trying to have better posture, these tips and physical therapy habits can help. With better posture comes relief from tension on the jaw.
Referred Pain Treatment
Another reason for persistent jaw pain is referred pain. This often happens when clients see their dentist for jaw pain treatment, but the pain originates from the neck, shoulders, or head.
To be sure you’re treating jaw pain correctly and looking in the right place, you want to have a well-rounded approach to your care with chiropractic treatment. This will look at all muscles of the jaw, along with neck and head connection points that may be presenting pressure and referring the pain to the jaw. Once you find the source, you have a long-lasting natural cure for jaw pain.
Relaxation Techniques
If jaw pain is related to a rise in stress, relaxation techniques may be the trick to natural TMJ pain relief. Relaxation techniques for jaw pain may include resetting your jaw to its natural state and taking deep breaths to maintain a state of calm.
Throughout the day, you want to check in with stress, muscle tension, and jaw position. Deep breaths, resetting the jaw, and mindfulness can go a long way to releasing jaw pain.
Is stress and tension also causing neck pain? Get neck pain treatment tips.
Jaw Exercises
To assist with jaw relaxation to relieve jaw pain, jaw exercises may be advised or recommended to do throughout the day. The point of jaw exercises for treating TMJ pain is to help relax the jaw, be mindful of the jaw’s position, counteract tension, and introduce a state of calm back into the body.
Recommended jaw exercises to treat TMJ pain may include moving the jaw forward and background, moving the tongue up, doing chin tucks to target the back of the neck, resisting opening your jaw to help tense and then release the pain in the jaw.
Heat and Ice Therapy
At the end of the day, sometimes the most tried and true method for TMJ pain treatment is heat and ice therapy. Heat and ice can help with relaxation, reducing inflammation, creating more mobility, and tensing then releasing the muscles causing the jaw pain.
Heat and ice therapy should be used in twenty-minute increments and sparingly throughout the day. If ice or heat makes the condition or pain worse, you want to stop immediately. Only apply heat and ice when you feel it helps relax the jaw muscles.
Diet Adjustments
For ongoing TMJ pain relief, your chiropractor or wellness doctor may advise diet adjustments. Diet may help reduce foods that cause inflammation, aren’t as stressful on the jaw muscles, and even reduce the inflammation or tension. You may supplement some snacks for teas or other drinks that also introduce the proper anti-inflammatory properties, along with helping ease tension.
Natural TMJ Pain Relief is Available in Columbia, MD
TMJ pain doesn’t have to control your life. Stop with temporary fixes like pain medications, mouth guards, or regular dry needling. Instead, allow our chiropractors to assess all the muscles of the jaw, find where the tension is being held, and apply relaxation techniques for long-lasting pain relief.
Natural pain relief for jaw pain can be easy, quick, and seamless. Call us today to set up an appointment and discover the benefits of natural pain relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes TMJ pain to occur without injury?
TMJ pain can happen without prior injury due to high stress levels, hormonal changes, or posture issues, which affect the jaw and neck muscles.
What natural treatments are offered for TMJ pain relief at Elite Chiropractic and Sport?
Natural treatments include chiropractic adjustments, posture improvements, relaxation techniques, referred pain assessments, jaw exercises, and heat and ice therapy.
How can posture affect TMJ pain?
Poor posture can create tension in the neck and jaw muscles, contributing to TMJ pain. Improving posture can relieve that tension and help reduce jaw discomfort.
What is referred pain and how does it relate to TMJ
Referred pain is when pain felt in the jaw actually originates from other areas like the neck or shoulders. Treating the true source of the pain and tension leads to lasting TMJ relief.
When should I use heat or ice for TMJ pain, and how often?
Use heat or ice in 20-minute increments, a few times a day. Only apply it if it helps relax your jaw—stop if it increases pain or discomfort.
About the Author
Dr. Bross is the owner of Elite Chiropractic and Sport. He serves as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner (CCSP) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. His unique approach to individualized patient care is based on the evaluation and treatment of the “whole” person.
Dr. Bross is a leader in the promotion of health and wellness. He has accumulated an extensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal and nutritional components of the human body. He is skilled in the Graston Technique, Active Release Technique, and Sports Medicine.
