It is a busy day for you four meetings and one of your children is home ill. The pain starts without much notice. A tingle then tension in your jaw; it is a tiny thing compared to the searing pain that travels up your skull from your cheek. Then you notice it. You’ve clenched your teeth tight. You have TMJ or temporomandibular joint pain[1].

The voice inside your head whispers, not today.

TMJ Pain Leads To Migraines And Neck Pain

TMJ can cause migraines, headaches, neck pain, and facial pain. Stress is the primary cause of temporomandibular joint disease or TMD although many clients complain it started dental work[2].

Many clients try mouth guards wearing these at night. They do little for the daytime stress that leads to TMJ accompanied by head or neck pain. Often they do not fit well or cause more problems. Acupuncture can effectively decrease pain, ease tight muscles along with massage.

Adding some simple life changes will help you end TMJ permanently. Acupuncture can treat the symptoms although getting to the root will ensure long-term success.

These three tips can help you stop your TMJ pain.

Temporomandibular Joint Relief With Breath Meditation

We’ve all heard meditation can help calm your nerves; it is real. It is a practice of taking a moment to let go of the drama in your life. Meditation is helpful for anxiety and sleep too. Breathing meditation is one of the best and simplest ways to start reducing TMJ pain.

• You can do this just about anywhere and several times daily. It does not matter if you take 1 minute or 5 minutes.
• Take a seat that is comfortable for you. Place your tongue behind your upper front teeth stretching your cheek muscles
• Let go of the air in your lungs. Slowly breathe in keeping your mind on the air coming in your nose while you count to 4. Next hold the breathe gently for a moment before you begin to release your breath threw your mouth pushing your lips out. Then relax your face before taking another breath in, in the same manner.
• If you only do this 3 or 4 times, you’ll notice your jaw muscles relaxing. Doing this 4-5 times daily in the beginning can have an immense impact on your TMJ.

Relief TMJ with Jaw Exercises

Strengthening your temporomandibular joint is helpful.

• This first exercise will strengthen the joint with pressure and tension.  Use the palm of your hand pushing up gently under your chin. Carefully try to open our mouth without causing pain. This is a gentle stretch. Do this several times daily at first until your pain subsides.
• You can also use your fingers to push down on your lower teeth, softly.  Carefully try to close your mouth. Just be sure not to bite down on your fingers! This exercise is the opposite of the first.
• Stretch the neck muscles.  Stretching the neck muscles helps to relieve pressure.  A smooth move is to act as though you are creating a second chin.  Lean your chin down toward your neck, but don’t bend the head downward.  Doing this for ten seconds elongates the neck, stretching it to loosen the muscle.

Use Acupuncture To Reduce The Pain

Acupuncture is a bonus when you are in pain. For TMJ, it helps ease the pain by reducing inflammation, and tight cheek muscles. If you are experiencing headaches or neck pain acupuncture with massage is essential.

TMJ disorder does not have to be a permanent problem.  Implementing these three steps will help eliminate your pain. When you relieve your jaw pain and headaches you will sleep better and feel a sense of freedom from the underlying problem.

[1] http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tmj/basics/definition/con-20043566

 [2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002207/

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Definitions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tension_headache