Natural Remedy for Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)

Symptoms:

• Pain in the muscles and joints of the jaws, which can radiate to the face and neck. Headaches, toothaches, dizziness, pain and ringing in the ears and pressure behind the eyes may also be present.
• When eating or yawning, there is a clicking, grinding, and popping sound.
• There may be difficulty in opening and closing the jaws.

Causes:

• Stress, a poor bite, and bruxism are the most frequent causes. Some people develop the habit of clenching their teeth together during the day and/or at night, this is very hard on the joint in the jaw.
• Another factor is when the tooth repair or replacements have not been done properly.
• The cartilage disc (disk) that cushions the joint becomes damaged. This causes the bones of the temporomandibular joint to rub against one another instead of gliding smoothly past each other.
• Other causes are osteoarthritis, bad posture, repeated or hard blows to the jaw or chin, whiplash, gum chewing, thumb sucking, chewing on only one side of the mouth, or holding the phone between the shoulder and jaw.

To test for misaligned jaw: Put your little fingers in your ears (to block outside noise) and slowly open and shut your jaw. If you hear any clicking or grinding sounds, your jaw may be out of alignment.

Natural Remedies:

• It is important to have a diet that is rich in B complex vitamins, Vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, silicon, zinc, lecithin, and flaxseed oil.
• Fast once a month, to give the body and jaws a rest, so rebuilding can take place.
• Drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice (1-2 glasses a day). The recommended juices are carrots, beets, wheatgrass and sweet potato.
• Eat soft, easy to chew foods.
• Take vitamin B complex (1 tablet, plus 100 mg pantothenic acid) twice a day. At bedtime in order to help relieve anxiety and improve sleep, take vitamin C (2,000 - 5,000 mg in divided doses daily), B6 (50mg).
• Ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory effects that will help reduce pain and inflammation.

Other helps:

• Hot and cold compress (alternately) will help relieve pain in the neck and shoulders. A wash-cloth soaked in almost hot water makes a good compress.
• Learn to relax and avoid stressful thinking or situations. Chamomile tea is a relaxing herb.
• Always maintain a good posture.
• Do not sleep on your side or lie on your side, with your head turned to the side. It is crucial that you sleep on your back.
• Do not prop your head at an angle (especially in bed) when reading, talking, or watching television. Do not lean your head on your hands at any time.

Exercises for Relief:

• This exercise is a great relief for jaw and head pain: Put ice on the tense neck muscle and stretch it. First, place a wash cloth partly around an ice cube; and then, 3-4 times, rub the ice directly down the side of your head and neck over the muscle. Then stretch that side of your neck by bending your head toward the other shoulder. Hold 10 seconds; then put your hand on the muscle to warm it up. And then work the muscle with your hand. Then repeat the procedure on the neck muscle on the other side. The cold blocks pain, so you stretch the painful muscles more than you otherwise could.
• Do yoga at least 3 times a week. This will help relax your tense muscle.

Avoid:

• Avoid hard foods. Do not eat meat.
• Avoid sugar foods, which deplete calcium and other minerals.
• Do not drink caffeine beverages (including chocolate), because the caffeine increases muscle tension and sensitivity to pain.
• Avoid salt, salty foods, and sodium containing foods.
• Avoid smoking and alcoholic beverages.
• Avoid chewing gum.
• Do not bite your fingernails.