TMJ is much more common than most of us realize, impacting between 5% and 12% of the population. Even so, many people still don't completely understand the symptoms, or what areas of the head this disorder can affect.
TMJ is complicated and can be debilitating for many people. Taking the time to understand TMJ and TMJ headaches is your first step along the road to finding effective TMJ headache relief and getting on with your life.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about TMJ and how to find the effective relief you need.
Overview of TMJ Disorders
TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders are a group of over 30 different conditions that cause pain and dysfunction around the muscles and joints that control jaw movements. You'll often hear of TMJ conditions referred to as just TMJ or TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction).
The most common types of TMJ disorders include disorders with the jaw joints, chewing muscles, and headaches that result from TMJ disorders.
You have two temporomandibular joints on each side of your face that connect the lower jawbone to the skull. TMJs help with critical movements like speaking and chewing.
TMJ conditions can cause problems like headaches, jaw pain, and trouble opening and closing the mouth.
TMJ Dysfunction Symptoms
The main symptoms of TMJ dysfunction include jaw pain and stiffness. It's also common to experience other symptoms like:
- Facial pain
- Difficulty opening and closing the mouth
- Jaw popping
- Jaw clicking
- Headaches
- Toothaches
- Earaches
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
You may also notice a change in the way your teeth normally fit together, which is known as malocclusion, or a bad bite.
TMJ Dysfunction Causes
There isn't any one known cause of TMD. Instead, it's typically the result of a combination of factors like:
- Jaw injuries like a dislocation or break
- Teeth grinding at night
- Teeth grinding during the day
- Arthritis in the jaw joint
- Malocclusion
- Stress
In addition, there are specific habits that can make TMJ issues worse, and changing these habits is a wonderful initial step.
First, using your teeth as tools for tearing off tags can cause the muscles to become inflamed and sore. This includes nervous behaviors like chewing on pencils and pens to reduce anxiety or provide distraction.
Poor posture can place extra pressure on the facial, neck, and shoulder muscles causing pain and dysfunction. Sleeping on your stomach can also cause extra pressure on your muscles, especially in the facial and shoulder regions.
Finally, taking large bites of food constantly can overwork jaw muscles too much.
How Is TMJ Diagnosed?
If you have jaw pain and headaches, it's essential to see a healthcare provider for an evaluation. A doctor or dentist will observe how easily you can open and close your mouth and press on your jaw to find areas of tenderness.
They'll also typically need to do imaging tests to look at the jaw joints and structures that surround them. The most common imaging tests include dental x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs.
Overview of TMJ Headaches
Now that you understand more about TMJ overall, it's time to look at TMJ headaches. The tricky thing about TMJ headaches is you may not associate the headache with TMJ dysfunction right away.
You'll need to consider other issues like jaw pain symptoms you may be experiencing to understand the root of the problem.
TMJ Headache Symptoms
While there are numerous types of headaches, you can identify TMJ headaches since they typically occur with a specific set of symptoms. These symptoms include:
- Headaches in multiple head regions
- Headaches that feel similar to tension headaches
- Jaw pain
- Facial pain
- Restricted jaw movement
- Changes to your bite
You may also experience facial tightness and anxiety as pain increases.
TMJ Headache Causes
As with TMJ, the exact cause of TMJ headaches isn't known but is usually related to issues like teeth grinding and inflammation in the joint areas.
Once the muscles that run along your cheeks and jaw area tense up, the pain can spread to other muscles along the sides and tops of your head which results in a headache.
Other causes can include joint hypermobility, osteoporosis, and arthritis.
TMJ Headache Treatments
TMJ pain relief requires a multi-step process that begins with seeing your doctor or dentist to rule out any other serious causes of the pain.
Once you understand the diagnosis and have a good handle on your symptoms, your doctor or dentist will be able to form a custom treatment plan to help you.
The main TMJ headache treatment steps include:
Educate Yourself
Learning everything you can about TMJ and TMJ headaches is key. Don't be afraid to talk to your doctor and dentist in the initial diagnostic phase to get all the information you need.
Understanding the differences between migraines and other types of headaches will help you determine what kind of head pain you experience the most. This is important since it's possible to have issues with TMJ headaches, along with other headaches like migraines.
Understanding triggers, such as the heat of summer, not eating normally, and not drinking enough, will help you better manage head pain.
Make Dietary Changes
Your daily lifestyle has a huge impact on how you feel in general, and even seemingly small things like skipping meals can make TMJ headaches much worse.
Therefore, the next thing on your list should involve taking a long and honest look at your daily lifestyle. It's best to start by making changes to your diet.
Are you eating hard or crunchy food, or chewing gum frequently? If so, you need to take steps to avoid these types of foods so you're not over-chewing and causing pain. This is also the time to make other healthy changes such as incorporating more fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins, and avoiding processed foods.
Learn Food Triggers
Certain foods can trigger headaches, specifically causing your body to react to pain in the jaw, face, and head. These include:
- Coffee
- Red wine
- Aged cheese
- Processed meats
- Food with MSG
- Artificial sweeteners
Chocolate can also serve as a trigger for some people, while other people don't notice any issues after eating chocolate. The best thing to do is stick to fresh foods as much as possible and keep a food diary if you suspect certain foods are triggering headaches.
If you're having a TMJ headache flare-up, make sure to eat a soft diet, like smoothies, sweet potatoes, and scrambled eggs, and boost up healthy fats like fish and beans.
Get Daily Exercise
Getting daily exercise is crucial. Studies show that a good fitness plan can improve overall muscle condition which protects people from at least some TMJ pain. According to this study, people with TMJ pain and headaches should try to live a more physically active lifestyle as a main part of their TMJ management plans.
If you sit in front of a computer all day, chances are you'll become tense in the neck and shoulder area, which could trigger TMJ headaches and even tension headaches.
The best part of including exercise in your daily schedule is that you can start slowly. Take a walk for20 to 30 minutes daily and do more from there. Low-impact exercise like swimming can be very helpful, especially if you have issues with arthritis pain.
Do TMJ Exercises
Since TMJ disorders can cause pain and inflammation throughout your jaw, face, and head regions, it's essential to gently move as many muscles as possible to help restore a normal range of motion.
Doing simple jaw exercises can go a long way in relieving TMJ headache pain and even general muscle tension in the jaw area.
First, begin by gently massaging the painful areas of your face and jaw. This gentle massage can relieve pain and tension and get blood flowing again, which helps muscles recover since this allows more oxygen to the area.
Since TMJ pain is often due to tension, relaxation exercises often do the trick. First, slowly inhale and allow your stomach to expand with your breath rather than your chest. Exhale slowly, making each exhalation last as long as your inhalation. Repeat this process between five and ten times.
It's also helpful to lie or sit up with comfortable support and work to relax every muscle in your body. This exercise is more of a progressive relaxation exercise that helps you become more aware of how much tension your body is carrying.
Stretching exercises like placing the tip of your tongue on the roof of the mouth while opening as wide as you can comfortably can help stretch out jaw muscles and relieve pain. Hold each stretch for at least ten seconds and repeat five to ten times.
Consider Pain Medications and Ice Packs
Your doctor may advise you to take over-the-counter medications like Advil or Tylenol to ease pain and inflammation. Keep in mind this is a temporary solution, but can be very effective when TMJ head pain first flares up.
Other pain relief solutions like ice packs can be very effective in relieving pain. Place ice packs where you feel the pain, which will usually be on the sides of the face, near the jaw joints. Apply ice packs for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, three times daily.
Remember to talk to your doctor if you don't improve after taking pain medications and making lifestyle changes.
Reduce Stress
It's no secret that excess stress can do a number on your body. High-stress levels cause increased inflammation, making people more susceptible to chronic conditions like heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
Stress is also strongly linked to other conditions like lupus, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. It also makes it more difficult for your immune system to function normally. Of course, increased inflammation will also make your TMJ headaches much worse.
Take the time to adopt mindfulness and stress reduction in your daily life, especially before winter arrives. Activities like nature walks can help you feel more relaxed, mindful, and connected with nature.
Mindfulness meditation allows you to let go of judgment and just visualize yourself as you are. Find a quiet location and focus on each breath, letting everything else go. You should also try other activities like:
- Listening to music
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Deep breathing
- Guided imagery focusing on calming scenes
Establishing a solid stress-busting routine before the colder months will get you on the right track.
Take MiGuard Supplements
High-quality natural supplements like MiGuard can help you find the long-term TMJ headache relief you're looking for.
MiGuard can reduce headaches and migraine symptoms in about four weeks when taken consistently. It can also reduce migraine frequency by stopping headaches before they start. This is because MiGuard is made up of the core vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts that your body needs to feel well.
You'll find specific ingredients in MiGuard like Feverfew, a herbal supplement that contains anti-inflammatory properties that help decrease inflammation and muscle spasms.
Magnesium is another ingredient and an essential mineral your body needs to function. It helps with bone health, blood pressure, and a healthy heart rhythm. Magnesium is also key in decreasing inflammation levels. Low magnesium is linked to headaches and taking magnesium can improve migraine pain.
Ginger is also effective against headaches, reducing pain and nausea often associated with migraine headaches. Ginger contains naturally occurring oils that may increase serotonin, which is a chemical messenger in our brain. Increasing serotonin levels can stop migraine attacks since higher levels reduce inflammation and restrict blood vessels.
Ginger works similarly to Triptan medications, which are a common go-to migraine treatment for many people with severe migraines.
Other MigGuard ingredients include:
- Coenzyme Q10 which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
- Vitamin B2 or riboflavin helps with healthy cellular activity
- Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is also a powerful antioxidant which promotes healthy cells
Get the TMJ Headache Relief You Need to Change Your Life
Now that you understand more about TMJ, TMJ headaches, and effective TMJ headache relief, it's time to take the next steps.
You can turn to MiGuard for your headache pain relief needs. MiGuard was created by Dr. Benjamin Taimoorazy, a well-known headache and pain management subspecialist, a board-certified anesthesiologist, and a fellow of the American Headache Society.
MiGuard resulted from decades of research to find a natural and nutritional supplement with the power to prevent and treat headaches and migraines.
Our products are made from high-quality ingredients in an FDA-registered facility. Make sure to visit us online to check out our natural headache relief products to find the relief you need!