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ok so I suspect I'm not the only one who has been gritting my teeth in my sleep and generally clenching my jaw, or just having a general TMJ flare
so I'm going to do a thread on some home remedies for coping with TMJ
so I'm going to do a thread on some home remedies for coping with TMJ
obligatory I'm not a doctor, I just argue with them a lot
this is not a substitute for medical advice blah blah blah
this is not a substitute for medical advice blah blah blah
ok so your TMJ is your temporo-mandibular joint
It's basically the joint that let's your jaw open and close, and is attached to some big muscles at both sides of your head for maximum chewing power
when you clench/grind your teeth at night, it can cause...A Lot of Pain
It's basically the joint that let's your jaw open and close, and is attached to some big muscles at both sides of your head for maximum chewing power
when you clench/grind your teeth at night, it can cause...A Lot of Pain
personally I tend to feel TMJ related pain around:
- the base of my jaw
- my temples
- my molars
- the big muscles at the back of my mouth
And sometimes also get referred pain in my ears and neck muscles
- the base of my jaw
- my temples
- my molars
- the big muscles at the back of my mouth
And sometimes also get referred pain in my ears and neck muscles
If you are worried about the grinding causing damage to your molars, you might want to look into a night guard
It's basically a thing that fits over your teeth and provides a cushion between them
Dentists can also make custom night guards but they're $$
It's basically a thing that fits over your teeth and provides a cushion between them
Dentists can also make custom night guards but they're $$
Ok so for me, my TMJ pain typically seems to happen when the surrounding muscles sort of spasm
If you don't have a connective tissue disorder (like me), loosening the muscle tension should help the pain
More on TMJ and connective tissue disorders down thread
If you don't have a connective tissue disorder (like me), loosening the muscle tension should help the pain
More on TMJ and connective tissue disorders down thread
So first off, if you have a heating pad, putting some heat over your temples/jaw can help ease muscle tension
Be careful not to burn yourself!
If you don't have a heating pad, you can fill a sock with rice or oats and microwave it in 30 second increments til the temp is good
Be careful not to burn yourself!
If you don't have a heating pad, you can fill a sock with rice or oats and microwave it in 30 second increments til the temp is good
You can also make a warm compress by:
- running a washcloth under warm water
- wringing out the excess water
- applying to the side of your face
(This method loses heat quickly, fyi)
- running a washcloth under warm water
- wringing out the excess water
- applying to the side of your face
(This method loses heat quickly, fyi)
If there are over the counter pain meds (like ibuprofen/Advil or acetaminophen/Tylenol) that you are able to take, these might also help
Personally I have better luck with topical pain remedies for TMJ
Personally I have better luck with topical pain remedies for TMJ
So uh speaking from experience, I would avoid putting icy hot or tiger balm or anything with menthol on your face
Because uh it's really easy to accidentally rub it into your eye, and. Do not recommend.
Because uh it's really easy to accidentally rub it into your eye, and. Do not recommend.
Again I'm not a doctor and can't tell you what meds would work best for your body, but some topical creams that have helped my TMJ pain include:
- lidocaine (numbing, available OTC in the US)
- voltaren (an anti-inflammatory, OTC in US)
- hemp based CBD cream
YMMV
- lidocaine (numbing, available OTC in the US)
- voltaren (an anti-inflammatory, OTC in US)
- hemp based CBD cream
YMMV
There are also some home massage techniques that I have found helpful for TMJ pain and related muscle spasm
1. Place one or two fingers on your jaw where it meets your earlobe, then move them to just under your jaw next to your earlobe
2. Apply *gentle* pressure
3. Alternatively, pinch a ~1" section of skin in this area between your thumb and forefinger and gently pull
2. Apply *gentle* pressure
3. Alternatively, pinch a ~1" section of skin in this area between your thumb and forefinger and gently pull
If this feels good, you can also continue massaging from next to your earlobe down the side of your neck
Repeat each side
If it's painful, you might be using too much pressure or this might not be a helpful move for you right now
Repeat each side
If it's painful, you might be using too much pressure or this might not be a helpful move for you right now
Another thing for TMJ pain:
1. Place your thumb on your skull where the top of your ear meets your skull
2. Leaving your thumb there, place your fingertips along the middle of your skull for stability
3. Gently press your thumb against your head and pull slightly up
1. Place your thumb on your skull where the top of your ear meets your skull
2. Leaving your thumb there, place your fingertips along the middle of your skull for stability
3. Gently press your thumb against your head and pull slightly up
If it feels good, repeat on the other side
You can also do this move on both sides at once if you want
You can also do this move on both sides at once if you want
TMJ move the 3rd
1. Place one or two fingers on the side of your face between your eyebrow and your ear
2. Slide around until they fit into the little indentation around your temple
3. Apply gentle pressure and push up slightly
If this feels good, repeat on the opposite side
1. Place one or two fingers on the side of your face between your eyebrow and your ear
2. Slide around until they fit into the little indentation around your temple
3. Apply gentle pressure and push up slightly
If this feels good, repeat on the opposite side
TMJ move the 4th
For this one, you definitely want to wash your hands and do it somewhere you can safely take off your mask
If you have gloves and feel more comfortable using them, that's ok too
Because it involves touching the inside of your mouth
For this one, you definitely want to wash your hands and do it somewhere you can safely take off your mask
If you have gloves and feel more comfortable using them, that's ok too
Because it involves touching the inside of your mouth
1. Gently open your jaw and place one or two fingers at the back wall of your jaw, behind your molars
2. Feel around until you find a ropey band of muscle parallel with your spine
3. Place a finger on the side closer to the middle of your body
...
2. Feel around until you find a ropey band of muscle parallel with your spine
3. Place a finger on the side closer to the middle of your body
...
...
4. Apply gentle pressure and gently pull towards your ear
If this feels good, repeat on the opposite side
4. Apply gentle pressure and gently pull towards your ear
If this feels good, repeat on the opposite side
Ok those are my main TMJ tips, now for my connective tissue disorder caveats:
Note these mainly apply to EDS because that's what I know most about, so YMMV with other connective tissue disorders
Note these mainly apply to EDS because that's what I know most about, so YMMV with other connective tissue disorders
With EDS, our ligaments are overly lax, so they don't keep our joints within a healthy range of motion
Thus our muscles will often pick up the slack, and tense up in order to stabilize our wonky joints
Thus our muscles will often pick up the slack, and tense up in order to stabilize our wonky joints
Over time, all this muscle tension causes it's own problems, like:
- muscle fatigue
- pain
- trigger points
So often it can feel really good to reduce muscle tension
But if you just do that, then you increase the risk of subluxations and other joint injuries
- muscle fatigue
- pain
- trigger points
So often it can feel really good to reduce muscle tension
But if you just do that, then you increase the risk of subluxations and other joint injuries
So it's important to try to address the underlying hypermobility in addition to reducing muscle tension
Muscle groups tend to come in pairs. There's a set that extends your thumb and another that flexes it, etc
Often with years of untreated EDS, these muscles get unbalanced
One set is *super tight* all the time, and the other is like. Our bodies can kind of forget how to use them
Often with years of untreated EDS, these muscles get unbalanced
One set is *super tight* all the time, and the other is like. Our bodies can kind of forget how to use them
So for example, the kneecap is a bone that basically floats over our knee and acts as a pulley
And it's supposed to be balanced by our quads on one side (inner thigh muscles), and on the other (outer thigh)
And it's supposed to be balanced by our quads on one side (inner thigh muscles), and on the other (outer thigh)
But personally, my body just sort of locked my outer thigh muscles (along with the fascia of my IT band), and forgot it could even use the inner thigh muscles
Which uh causes problems
Which uh causes problems
[Exercise]
There's a quad strengthening exercise PTs have been telling me to do for years
Where basically you extend your leg and sort of tighten the muscles to press your knee towards the floor
There's a quad strengthening exercise PTs have been telling me to do for years
Where basically you extend your leg and sort of tighten the muscles to press your knee towards the floor
[Exercise]
But I never liked this exercise, which is probably because my knees are hypermobile and so every time I did it as instructed, I was hyperextending my knee like that one move in the dang Beighton scale
But I never liked this exercise, which is probably because my knees are hypermobile and so every time I did it as instructed, I was hyperextending my knee like that one move in the dang Beighton scale
[Exercise]
Anyway, turns out that I just needed a heavily modified version of this exercise
Where I put a pillow under my knee to prevent hyperextension
And also brace my back and pelvis against, say, my bed or a couch or a wall, so that they don't wobble during the exercise
Anyway, turns out that I just needed a heavily modified version of this exercise
Where I put a pillow under my knee to prevent hyperextension
And also brace my back and pelvis against, say, my bed or a couch or a wall, so that they don't wobble during the exercise
[Exercise]
The above stuff is adapted from things I learned from the Muldowney exercise protocol for EDS
Which overall is good, but I've had to modify for when I'm in the middle of a prolonged flare and can't do the more challenging PT https://liminalnest.wordpress.com/2019/10/11/review-of-the-muldowney-exercise-protocol-for-ehlers-danlos-syndrome/
The above stuff is adapted from things I learned from the Muldowney exercise protocol for EDS
Which overall is good, but I've had to modify for when I'm in the middle of a prolonged flare and can't do the more challenging PT https://liminalnest.wordpress.com/2019/10/11/review-of-the-muldowney-exercise-protocol-for-ehlers-danlos-syndrome/
[Exercise]
Anyway my tl;dr is that if you have EDS, you might need to work on balancing your muscle strength in addition to just reducing muscle spasms
Otherwise you can put yourself at increased risk for subluxations etc
Anyway my tl;dr is that if you have EDS, you might need to work on balancing your muscle strength in addition to just reducing muscle spasms
Otherwise you can put yourself at increased risk for subluxations etc
My other EDS specific TMJ tidbit is that I've heard anecdotal reports in EDS groups that TMJ flares can make cervical instability worse, and vice versa https://liminalnest.wordpress.com/2020/03/06/ways-to-cope-when-you-have-suspected-cci-aai/
[Exercise]
Because the jaw and neck are such a delicate and important area, I think that ideally physical therapy should be adapted for your individual body
But I know it can be hard to find knowledgeable physical therapists, and also a lot of us have trauma from bad PTs
Because the jaw and neck are such a delicate and important area, I think that ideally physical therapy should be adapted for your individual body
But I know it can be hard to find knowledgeable physical therapists, and also a lot of us have trauma from bad PTs
[Exercise]
The exercises I'm currently doing for this area are ones I've had to work up to after starting with pelvic stability. YMMV.
My current PT is some sort of fascia magician and she uses a technique called strain/counterstrain, so you might look for someone who does that
The exercises I'm currently doing for this area are ones I've had to work up to after starting with pelvic stability. YMMV.
My current PT is some sort of fascia magician and she uses a technique called strain/counterstrain, so you might look for someone who does that
[Exercise]
Anyway, if you have more specific questions about EDS and PT, my DMs are open
This post might also be helpful https://liminalnest.wordpress.com/2019/01/04/everything-ive-learned-about-eds-and-pt-infodump/
Anyway, if you have more specific questions about EDS and PT, my DMs are open
This post might also be helpful https://liminalnest.wordpress.com/2019/01/04/everything-ive-learned-about-eds-and-pt-infodump/
