You might have heard the term TMJ tossed around when people talk about jaw pain, but you might not fully understand what is being referred to when someone says they have TMJ pain.
TMJ is an abbreviation for the temporomandibular joint, which is located on both sides of your jaw. These joints connect the temporal bones (part of your skull) to the mandible, or lower jaw bone. The jaw is capable of multiple movements, including side-to-side, up-and-down, and forward-and-back motions. Because of the wide range of motion, the temporomandibular joint is more complex than we might think, and this complexity can sometimes lead to TMJ disorders.
What is TMJ Pain?
TMJ pain is typically felt around the jaw, temples, or neck and can result from issues with the temporomandibular joint itself or the muscles controlling jaw movement, like the masseter or temporalis muscles. Common symptoms include pain or tenderness in the jaw, clicking or popping sounds when moving the jaw, difficulty or discomfort while chewing, and even headaches. TMJ disorders can be caused by a variety of factors such as injury, teeth grinding, poor posture, or stress. Since the jaw joint is so intricate, even small misalignments or muscle tension can lead to discomfort or pain that affects your daily activities. Luckily, there are some simple exercises you can do at home to help relieve TMJ jaw pain.
Exercises For TMJ Pain Relief
Chin Tucks
This exercise targets the muscles in the front of the neck to aid with overall stability of the cervical spine due to the closeness of the cervical spine and jaw, which could play a part in some of the discomfort.
You start by lying on your back with either a pillow or rolled-up towel underneath your head. Then, you will gradually push the back of your skull into the towel/pillow underneath you while engaging the muscles in the front of your neck. This position will then be held for a couple of seconds before slowly returning to the starting position.
Tongue Lifts
The first step to these exercises will be bringing your tongue up to the roof of your mouth and keeping it there while you slowly open and close your mouth 10 times, then relax. The key to this one is to open and close your mouth in a controlled manner to increase overall stability and coordination of the muscles surrounding your jaw.
Side-to-Side Gliding
For this one, we want to grab an object that is about ¼ of an inch and put it between the front teeth while gently closing your mouth on the object. Next, you will gradually slide your jaw from side to side in a controlled manner, similar to the tongue lifts. We want to have good coordination in all directions that the jaw moves to limit increased discomfort throughout the day.
Jaw Protrusion and Retrusion
This is the last critical movement of your jaw, where we want to gradually bring our jaw back toward our neck, holding for 3-5 seconds, and then slowly bring it all the way forward again, holding for 3-5 seconds. Repeat this about 10 times.
Resisted Jaw Opening
Now we are focusing more on the strength aspect than coordination. Here, you can put your hand underneath your jaw and slowly open straight down, adding some resistance with your hand. We want to make sure that we are not deviating to the right or the left when opening our jaw. If you do experience any “clicking,” stop right before it happens. Repeat this around 10 times.
Resisted Jaw Closing
Similar to the resisted jaw opening, you will put your fingers on the top of your bottom teeth and slowly resist the jaw as you close it. You still want to pay attention to not deviate the jaw to the right or left and keep your jaw in a straight line. Repeat this around 10 times.
If you are still experiencing ongoing discomfort or want a comprehensive exam of how to aid in your journey to reduce discomfort in your jaw, feel free to book your appointment with us by calling 619-260-0750 or emailing info@innovativept.net. We have TMD experts who are here to help you start your journey to relief.
Innovative Physical Therapy, “Solutions in Motion”
Innovative Physical Therapy is a state-of-the-art practice located in Mission Valley, San Diego. With over 30 years of experience, we provide individualized care tailored to your unique needs. Our skilled therapists utilize manual therapy techniques and movement analysis to identify the root causes of your issues, enabling us to develop effective treatment plans for immediate symptom relief and long-term health.