The temporomandibular joint connects the skull to your lower jaw, called the temporal bone located in front of the ear. This joint is responsible for the movement of facial muscles, like when chewing or eating and smiling. When you are affected by a TMJ disorder, you begin feeling uncomfortable with the joint besides discomfort.
Issues associated with TMJ disorders cause headaches, neck pain, ear pain, Etc. You have one TMJ joint on both the jaws helping you to open and close your mouth. Moving your face up or down, sideways or back-and-forth also receives help from the joint. When you are affected by TMJ joint disorder, you may wonder whether it is ever possible to permanently find relief from the discomfort. You will be happy to note easy ways are indeed available to find relief from the pain caused by TMJ disorders. This article looks at some methods you can use to cure TMJ issues permanently.
What Causes TMJ Disorders?
Your TMJ joint is a combination of a hinge action with sliding motions. The bones interacting in the joint are coated with cartilage and grouped with a tiny shock-absorbing disk to keep the movement smooth. You develop painful TMJ disorders when the shock-absorbing disk erodes or shifts out of its proper alignment, and arthritis damages the joint’s cartilage besides blows or other impacts. The specific causes of TMJ disorders aren’t evident in many cases.
Risk Factors Associated with TMJ Disorders
Different types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, can increase the risk of developing TMJ disorders. These disorders are also prevalent among people clenching and grinding their teeth. Some problems are caused by certain connective tissue diseases that affect the temporomandibular joint.
Curing TMJ Disorders Permanently
TMJ disorders disappear by themselves without needing any professional help in many cases. However, if the pain is impacting your everyday activities, you will find it helpful to seek medical help. You can use the following tips at home to cure TMJ disorders yourself.
Apply Moist Heat
On many occasions, medical practitioners prescribe moist heat to heal joint injuries. TMJ disorders are not different from any joint injury, and finding comfort from the pain is possible using moist heat or hot water bottle wrapped in a damp cloth. You must ensure you are careful and don’t burn your face when using this method.
Ice Packs
Ice packs are useful to decrease the inflammation and pain from TMJ disorders. Wrapping ice cubes in a clean cotton cloth and applying it on the joint will provide some relief. Do not use the ice pack for prolonged periods.
Have Soft Foods
Having soft or blended foods is beneficial when confronting pain from TMJ disorders. Softer foods allow your jaw to relax when you are eating. You must attempt to avoid hard foods requiring more muscle movements when chewing resulting in jaw pain.
TMJ Pain Relief Exercises
An easy way to find relief from TMJ disorders is to perform TMJ pain relief exercises. Your doctor provides instructions for smooth and straightforward jaw exercises for relief from the pain. You can also seek help from a therapist who can guide you appropriately.
Over-The-Counter Medications
Over-the-counter medicines are available for TMJ disorder treatment and provide temporary relief from the pain. Your doctor or dentist will prescribe potent TMJ pain relief medication for short periods if you think the pain is unbearable.
Besides the above, the dentist in Charlotte, FL, recommends oral splints or occlusal appliances for people affected by TMJ disorders. Many people benefit from a soft or firm device inserted over their teeth by Dr. R Boyd Gilleland. However, the reasons why these devices function effectively is not known.
You may profit from knowledge and counseling that help you to assume the agents and actions aggravating your TMJ pain to help you avoid them. Seeking treatment for bruxism or giving up habits like fingernail biting or leaning on your chin are also methods useful to cure TMJ pain from home.
When conservative methods don’t function effectively, your doctor or dentist may recommend minimally invasive procedures or injections like Botox to relieve TMJ disorders’ pain. As a last resort, surgery is recommended by medical practitioners as a cure for this problem.
TMJ disorders, in most cases, disappear by themselves without needing medical attention unless you are experiencing severe discomfort. Starting with the treatments suggested in this article may help you overcome the issue without needing medical help. However, if your situation is unmanageable, the dentist spoken about earlier can create a treatment plan specifically for you.