Experiencing facial pain, tightness, locking and clicking when opening and closing your mouth, head and neck aches and/or ringing in the ears? You could have a disorder of your temporomandibular joint (TMJD).
To help reduce symptoms of TMJD:
Avoid hard and chewy foods completely. Examples include but are not exclusive to nuts and hard toffees. Excessive and unnecessary force through the jaw is not good for the structure in the joint.
Stay away from repetitive chewing, especially gum or ice, as little as possible. This is an unnecessary load through the jaw joint.
Avoid extreme jaw movements, such as yelling, singing and yawning as this stretches your jaw too much.
When you need to yawn, place a fist under your chin and press up. This can keep your mouth from opening too wide.
Keep your teeth slightly apart as often as you can. Keep in mind that it is natural for your jaw to open a little if your lips are closed.
Sleep on your back, not on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach sub-consciously encourages jaw grinding at night.
Don't rest your chin on your hand. This encourages clenching.
Have good neck posture. Your jaw is anatomically linked to your neck joints. If there are bad neck joints there may be bad jaw joints and vice versa.
Try to reduce stress.
Example TMJ Exercises:
Say the letter “N”. This is the position of your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Your tongue should not be touching your teeth. Repeat 6 times.
Your teeth should not be touching unless eating. Say “Emma”, this is the position your teeth should be in. Repeat 6 times.
Maintain symmetrical shoulder blade posture and gently pull down, maintain a long and relaxed neck. This should be all day long but remind yourself by holding for 6 seconds
Keep your chin touched in. Repeat 6 times.
Keep your tongue on the roof of your mouth and open and close your mouth 6 times.
Keep your tongue on the roof of your mouth and two fingers are placed on the chin to open your mouth against gentle resistance. Following that, place your fingers the left side followed by the right side of your jaw and gently resist six times in all directions.
Perform six repetitions of these exercises six times a day.
While TMJD can’t be ‘cured’, symptoms can be managed effectively in the long-term. Think you might suffer from TMJD the Physios at Back In Motion Balnarring will assess your neck and jaw function to see how they are affecting each other. Contact Back In Motion Balnarring for your Free Initial Assessment.
Apart from the exercises mentioned above, physiotherapy treatment will involve mobilisation of the neck joint and TMJ. Massage of muscles of the neck, jaw and face can be necessary, as well as postural advice for the neck and jaw. There is a range of strengthening exercises that may be necessary too, beyond what is mentioned above. Where necessary, we will communicate with your dentist, GP, surgeon and/or specialist to overcome this debilitating condition and to help you get a better result.
Author
Paul Rowson - Director and Physiotherapist - Back In Motion Balnarring
Paul has undertaken specialised training to help clients who suffer TMJD.