Jaw pain is rarely entirely in the jaw! If you were building a tower, and one of the floors wasn’t level, it would affect the floors above it — unless you somehow compensated. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is kind of like that, only it’s because it has settled unevenly on the ground beneath it. … Continue reading Treating TMJ issues: asymmetries in the rest of the body affect the jaw joints
Tag: self-care
A new clue about bruxism. A neurology practice noted that of its patients who had restless legs syndrome (RLS), 60% also had bruxism (grinding teeth during sleep). Eighty-three percent had RLS and migraines, and 52% had RLS, migraines, and bruxism. Do you relate? The lead neurologist for this study speculated there is a gene that … Continue reading Treating TMJ issues: restless legs and sleep bruxism
Learning how to de-stress yourself is huge. Everyone experiences stress. It’s just part of life. Stress becomes an issue when there’s too much of it, and your system has trouble rebounding resiliently to a calm, alert state. How is this relevant to TMJ issues? So much TMJ misery is related to chronic and acute stress. … Continue reading Treating TMJ issues: de-stress quickly with these breathing techniques
Recently I wrote about how acupuncture can help relieve jaw pain and the stress that often accompanies it. Today's post is about doing acupressure on yourself for TMJ issues. Keep in mind that if you see an acupuncturist, they will do an evaluation that may show other issues that they can address, with a focus … Continue reading Treating TMJ issues: acupressure points for self-care
Often neck and shoulder tension accompanies jaw pain. I'm enjoying this seated yoga sequence for neck and shoulder tension, recommended in a FB conversation about what people with TMJ do for self-care. It's 8:29 in length. Yoga for Neck & Shoulder Tension I'm a big fan of yoga, having practiced it since 1982. It's definitely … Continue reading Treating TMJ issues: an upper-body yoga sequence
There are so many things you can do to relieve the stress that usually accompanies TMJ pain and dysfunction. Today I want to write about nutrients that can make a difference. You can get these nutrients in the form of supplements, and sometimes that's easiest, but studies are finding that our bodies are not absorbing … Continue reading Treating TMJ issues: foods and nutrients that can make a difference
A couple of weeks ago, I inquired of a Facebook group for women what they do for jaw pain. A couple of women mentioned specific essential oils they use for jaw pain. One said she puts lavender oil on her aching jaws. Another mentioned layering marjoram, lemongrass, and wintergreen essential oils. All of these oils … Continue reading Treating TMJ issues: using essential oils for pain relief
If you suffer from jaw pain, you may want to try some of these jaw exercises and self-massage techniques. TMJ Exercises & Stretches to Relieve Jaw Pain — Ask Dr. Jo. 3:03. Dr. Jo is a physical therapist who demonstrates four simple exercises. TMJ Massage: Pressure Points for Relief by MassageByHeather.com. 3:43. Massage therapist Heather … Continue reading Treating TMJ issues: videos of self-care techniques
I'm getting referrals for craniosacral therapy for people who have had concussions, and I want to help these folks recover. Not knowing what a doctor may have told them but knowing how busy most doctors are, I am providing information here that may help injured brains recover more quickly. If your doctor tells you something … Continue reading Post-concussion self-care