Simple Habits to Help Stop or Control Your TMJ
1. Avoid holding the telephone between your shoulder and ear. Instead, prop your elbow up on books and hold the telephone to your ear.
2. When sneezing or yawning, put your chin down on your chest.
3. Avoid activities that make your jaw pop or click.
4. Don’t open your mouth too wide or jiggle your jaw around unless you have been specifically instructed to do this.
5. Support groups or Pshychologist can be a big help in dealing with your pain.
6. Lips together – teeth apart, and tongue to the roof of your mouth.
7. Avoid tasks that require holding the muscles in a prolonges fixed position.
8. Simplify your life as much as possible.
9. Avoid pain behaviors.
10. Find ways to take your mind off the pain; reading, classical music, sports.
11. Watch your posture, especially when you are in pain.
12. A positive, hopeful attitude really helps.
13. Try different forms of stress reduction – yoga, biofeeback, meditation, relaxation exercises.
14. Relax.
15. Ask questions, be informed.
16. Use Cervical pillows.
17. Avoid jutting your jaw forward.
18. Take medications as prescribed and only as needed.
19. Discuss all your TMJ symptoms with your doctor, dentist and physical therapist.
20. Stay active, continue to see your friends.
21. Moist heat or cold can be used on both your face and neck. Some people use heat on their neck and ice on their face for 5 to 15 minutes, then switch with heat on the face and ice on the neck.
22. Massage your face, temples and neck.
23. Postural support bra (bestforms) helps pull your shoulders back and maintain an erect posture. It also helps distribute the weight of heavy breasts.
Exercise:
1. Avoid sit-ups, especially if you use your neck muscles to pull up.
2. Do not clench or set your jaw when you lift weights.
3. Walk 3 miles per day.
4. Scuba diving if hard on the jaw and should be avoided.
5. Try physical therapy.