Consumer Articles

Can bruxism cause headaches? Bruxism is the involuntary grinding, gnashing, or clenching of teeth and it can happen during sleep or while you’re awake. When this grinding or clenching becomes associated with headache symptoms, it’s referred to as a “bruxism headache”. Here’s what you need to know about the different kinds of headaches associated with bruxism and what you can do to get relief.
Physical therapy exercises for TMJ pain are considered a frontline treatment. Just like with other orthopedic systems, the use of physical therapy can greatly improve temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain symptoms and restore TMJ function. Recent evidence-based studies on TMJ physical therapy indicate that it brings reliable improvement in pain and range of motion. Here we review the science of how TMJ exercises work, present the different styles of TMJ exercises, and show how they fit into a comprehensive program for jaw pain relief.
Knowing what to eat with TMJ makes a big difference in terms of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. After all, eating is the primary action of the jaw joint, with the mouth opening and closing over 2000 times a day. The central tenets of a TMJ diet are to eat soft foods, to avoid hard and chewy foods, and to skip pro-inflammatory foods. Of equal importance is how to eat a TMJ diet; eating evenly on both sides, preparing morsel-sized bites, and eating mindfully.
Anxiety and jaw clenching are strongly associated in the medical literature. One of the primary physical manifestations of anxiety is muscle tension. This often occurs in the jaw muscles in the form of clenching or grinding, a behavior sometimes called “bruxism”. Anxiety-related jaw clenching may also cause or exacerbate certain TMJ disorders. Here we explore the connection between anxiety and jaw clenching and then discuss how to stop clenching your jaw.
There is increasing evidence that acupuncture for jaw pain is a reasonable treatment approach. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders are chronic pain disorders, meaning the pain is persistent and poorly controlled. Pharmacological interventions with drugs like opioids are generally ineffective for chronic TMJ pain and increase the risk of dependence and abuse. On the other hand, alternative pain control interventions like acupuncture are non-pharmacologic and non-invasive, making them of great interest to both doctors and patients. Here’s what you need to know about acupuncture for jaw pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis in the jaw is more common than people think. The National Institutes of Health reports that the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) is substantially higher in people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. They also report that TMJ symptoms and disease severity is increased in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Population studies estimate that more than 50% of people with rheumatoid arthritis also suffer from TMJ issues.
TMJ and stress are closely related. There is a bidirectional relationship between temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and the state of emotional and physical tension we call “stress”. Jaw pain from stress can lead to changes in the brain responsible for pain signaling. When pain pathways are triggered, stress hormones are released, leading to more emotional and physical tension. If untreated, this cycle of jaw pain and stress is a risk factor for developing chronic TMJ pain disorders.
Migraine and jaw pain are connected. The common element between the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and migraine headaches is the fifth cranial nerve, called the trigeminal nerve. The primary function of the trigeminal nerve is to provide sensation to the face, jaw, and forehead region. However, the nerve also gives sensation to the covering of the brain and intracranial arteries. This common innervation by the trigeminal nerve is the physiological basis for the connection between migraines and TMJ disorders.
Jaw pain from chewing gum may put you at risk for developing a chronic TMJ disorder. Chewing gum involves constant activation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and can result in jaw muscle pain and soreness. But can chewing gum cause a TMJ disorder to develop? According to the medical literature, there does appear to be an association between chewing gum and temporomandibular disorders (TMDs).
Muscle relaxants for TMJ issues are appropriate in certain situations, but natural remedies should also be considered. Because the muscles surrounding the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are often hyperactive in TMJ disorders, medical professionals have tried using muscle relaxants to relieve TMJ pain with varied success. Muscle relaxants decrease muscle spasticity by suppressing motor neuron firing in the central nervous system. However, as with all medications, muscle relaxants have side effects and they don’t always work. For this reason, it’s important to consider natural muscle relaxing strategies as an alternative to taking medication.
What is a TMJ flare up and how do you treat it? A TMJ flare up is when new temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain symptoms develop or when old symptoms suddenly worsen. The cause of TMJ flare ups depend on whether the underlying disorder is driven by inflammatory joint disease or muscle pain. Once you know the cause, the treatment plan becomes more clear.

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