TMJ.....What's the best way to get rid of the problem once and for all?

by Heather

My daughter, 17 has been experiencing TMJ for several months in her left jaw.


Her jaw is semi-locked in the morning, barely opens big enough to eat breakfast and pain when chewing. It gets less stiff as the day progresses but still hurts when chewing.

What's the best way to deal with TMJ?

Referred to your site by Kerri Knox at www.Easy-Immune-Health.com



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Joshua Answers:


Hello Heather.


I'll assume you read through TMJ and the couple pages that link off of that, like the Pain Causing Dynamic page.

Now, some questions so I can have a more informed view of what's going on.


1. When you say 'locked' jaw, what exactly does that mean? Specifically, is a hard stop like the joint is out of whack, or does it just hurt to open it past a certain point.

2. What does the pain feel like? What does the 'lock' feel like?

3. Any blows or trauma to the jaw in the last few years (or ever). Car crash, sports accident, boxing practice, oral surgery, bad day at the dentist, etc?

4. Anything specific happen that started this?

5. Did it start slow and get worse, or just show up hurting one day?

6. Is your daughter stressed, nervous/anxious, had mental tramuma in
the near/far past?

7. Give me an idea of what/how she eats, meaning, what does a daily food intake look like?

8. Does she clench/grind her jaw at night? If so, how long has that been going on?

9. When she opens her jaw/chews, is there any joint grinding, popping, etc? Does one or both sides try to come out of joint?


Answer those questions and we'll go from there.



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Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com













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Comments for TMJ.....What's the best way to get rid of the problem once and for all?

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Jan 16, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		PART 2 - TMJ condition in detail - TMJ.....What's the best way to get rid of the problem once and for all?
by: Heather

1.When you say 'locked' jaw, what exactly does that mean? Specifically, is a hard stop like the joint is out of whack, or does it just hurt to open it past a certain point.

A. Hurts to open past a certain point.


2. What does the pain feel like? What does the 'lock' feel like?

A When it gets to a painful point the bone feels like its being broken or pulled extremely hard


3. Any blows or trauma to the jaw in the last few years (or ever). Car crash, sports accident, boxing practice, oral surgery, bad day at the dentist, etc?

A. when she was six she fell off the bike and landed on the side of her face. Nothing serious, scratch up her face. In 2009, she had all 4 wisdom teeth taken out the same day, and had trouble with bleeding for almost 10 hours.


4. Anything specific happen that started this?

A.None that she can recall, her jaw just got worse over the months


5. Did it start slow and get worse, or just show up hurting one day?

A. Started off just as a stiff jaw in the morning, she would simply stretch it open until she heard a pop, this had no pain involved. Then one day her jaw just wouldn?t budge. Finally after trying to open it for hours she managed to get a pop but only on her right side. From then on her jaw on the left side has been hurting when she eats.


6. Is your daughter stressed, nervous/anxious, had mental trauma in the near/far past?

A. No obvious stress, except the normal school/test anxiety


7. Give me an idea of what/how she eats, meaning, what does a daily food intake look like?

A. Lots of chicken, burgers, salads. Nothing
incredibly hard. Most are easy to chew. She has cut out gum chewing all together and drinks soda occasionally.


8. Does she clench/grind her jaw at night? If so, how long has that been going on?

A. She says she doesn?t...... but who knows it may happen while sleeping.


9. When she opens her jaw/chews, is there any joint grinding, popping, etc? Does one or both sides try to come out of joint?

A. Not while she eats. But right before breakfast or lunch she will pop her jaw open once, the pop is only on the right side. She says it helps with the pain of chewing.



Jan 22, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		PART 3 - TMJ.....What's the best way to get rid of the problem once and for all?
by: The Tendonitis Expert

Joshua Comments:

Hi Heather.

Well, the bike crash could have been the beginning, but the wisdom teeth out is the primary culprit so far.

That's a lot of trauma to the jaw and skull, getting yanked on and what not.

My primary suggestion is to find a Cranio-Sacral practitioner in your area. One that SPECIALIZES in that kind of work, not just 'oh, I also do craniosacral therapy'.

If there isn't one around, then, in short, I would do this self care (this is what they would show you how to do too for self care):


In short, you and/or your daughter need to:

1. Rub/massage the muscles at the temple that clench when one bites.


2. Rub/massage the muscles through the cheeks around the jaw joint. You'll feel them, she may need to clench a bit to help you feel them.


3. Finger inside the mouth, explore around back by where the jaw hinges, on the outside side of the teeth, and the inside side of the teeth. There's all sorts of connective tissue and muscle in there that will likely HURT, so start very slowly.

Static pressure, small circles, back and forth, push and stretch, etc.


4. She needs to start working her jaw structure like this EVERY DAY until it gets better. If she does this every day, she will notice benefit in the first week (but problably not till after the first few days, which will be the most sharp/painful/tender.


5. Can't hurt to make sure she is getting enough Magnesium.




Sep 02, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		I have suffered TMJ, did this at home remedy...
by: auntiestamps

I had been rear ended in 2 car accidents and had TMJ surgery. I also clench my jaw at night. I have been good for about 10 years now, then one day (during a stressful situation) my jaw locked up. For over 6 mos. I could barely open my mouth to eat. I was so frustrated. I ate soft food, tried muscle relaxers, etc. Finally, I had an idea...
I bought (disposable) earplugs and wore them every night when I slept. After about a week or two all my symptoms had vanished! No joke! I know it sounds crazy, but I think having the earplugs in my ears made me stop grinding my teeth. I think it opened up my jaw, just enough so I would stop and relax.
Hey, if you have tried everything, why not try this. It has been over a year now and I still wear the earplugs, and I have had no more issues with my jaw locking!
You can get these soft pink ones at the drug store. Cut them if they are too long, pinch them and let them expand in your ear. Try it. Hopefully, it can work for you as well.


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Joshua Comments:

Interesting.

Can't hurt to try. It's certainly cheap.

No reason not to take enough magnesium and self massage.

But there's something to be said for it, at least theoretically.

Kind of like acupuncture or acupressure, it might be doing something to the nervous system that disrupts some particular firing pattern.
Mar 11, 2015
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starstarstarstarstar 		Help reducing TMJ inflammation, now bite is off
by: Cindy K

I have tmj from clenching but now my bite is off and I can drop my jaw and wiggle my mouth from side to side to get it back in place. It only lasts for a few hours before it happens again.

How do I get rid of the inflamation. No one can help me. I really need help as this situation is ruining my life and so upsetting.

When I have something hot to eat or drink I get a pain up to my ear and it seems like it is coming from my upper inside gum where my tmj side is.

I have been to the ent, oral surgeons, dentist, physician, endontist, periodontist and no one can help me. I think the gum and tooth sensitivity may be nerve damage from the tmj. The doctors do not seem concerned. I don't know where to turn next to diagnose and fix both problems.

Please help


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Cindy.

You didn't leave your email address nor check the notifications box, so I hope you find this response (and I'll hold my specific-to-you questions until you return).

Since you've been checked out by multiple different specialists, I'm going to go with that yes, it's nerve irritation from the TMJ that's causing the expanding pain from hot/cold.

And I'm sorry the doctors don't seem concerned. That's a mark against them.

And since you've been seen by so many different specialties, personally I wouldn't be concerned about a 'diagnosis'. Unless it's cancer or 'dislocated jaw' or something, what it's called isn't going to help you solve it.

You have a variety of symptoms. Symptoms are caused by specific factors.

Read the Pain Causing Dynamic link and the Magneisum link in this thread.

Right now, magnesium is more important than reducing inflammation, basically, in that magnesium is necessary to give muscles a chance to relax/stop clenching/etc.

If you can't do that, the effort to reduce the Process of Inflammation won't give you too much bang for your buck.

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