Having TMJ or temporomandibular joint syndrome is exhausting. There are a lot of symptoms included when affected by this condition. These include tinnitus, clicking and popping sounds while chewing or biting, facial and or mouth swelling, locked jaw and difficulty swallowing. These symptoms are all annoying but the one symptom which is more commonly prioritized in relieving is the pain you feel across the facial muscles and jaw joints.

The presence of pain is subjective to the one experiencing it. We cannot identify the extent of the pain the TMJ patient is experiencing but we can still help them by sharing them tips on providing TMJ pain relief. If we were the one experiencing these symptoms, we’d definitely prioritize minimizing, if not possible eradicating, the pain. With pain, we cannot function normally. We would be too engrossed with the feeling of soreness that we might ignore whatever activity is there to be performed and skip doing something important.

Aside from being unproductive, other effects of pain are loss of appetite and feeling nauseous, feeling of heaviness and lethargy, and anxiety. With pain, you will definitely have lack of sleep because pain will keep on interrupting rest. If pain continues, you might feel depressed because you might think that you can’t do anything about it and you may lack focus in anything you do.

You or anyone who experiences pain should not let it control the way you live your lives. There are a lot of ways in which you can relieve yourselves from pain. Listed below are interventions you can do to diminish or decrease the intensity of pain.

· In eating, opt for food which is soft and doesn’t need intense chewing. Through this, there is less pressure on your jaw joints and pain is somehow minimized. When eating solid food, cut them into smaller pieces so that you don’t have to bite them and strain your jaw.

· When drinking liquids, try using a straw so you don’t have to open your mouth widely and put pressure on your jaw.

· Soothe pain by gently massaging your neck, scalp and the area around the ears. You could also use a hot or cold pack alternately on areas where pain is felt. Just remember not to exceed 15 minutes per application.

· When sleeping, discipline yourself to not sleep on your stomach so that you avoid adding pressure to your jaw and neck muscles. It is preferable if you sleep on your back or your sides.

· Do jaw relaxation techniques like putting your lips together while keeping your teeth apart.

There are a lot of ways to minimize pain, but if it becomes unmanageable, consult your physician right away.