Are you suffering from TMJ? You are not alone. There are millions of people who suffer from TMJ pain but while it is common, it does not make things bearable. Knowing the proper techniques to provide relief from pain can make your life easier and more manageable.
TMJ and Ear Pain
TMJ is the joint that acts as a hinge for your jaw. It is positioned directly beneath your ears. If you suffer from TMJ, the grinding action of your teeth are causing pain and tension in your ear. The intensity of the pain will significantly differ from one person to another and depending on how much you are grinding them. But most of the time, this type of pain is persistent enough to impact your daily activities.
With that said, there are plenty of remedies available to soothe the pain. This is essential to do especially if it starts to interfere with your daily life.
TMJ and Ear Pain on One Side
Since it has been established that ear pain can result from TMJ, it is important to note that the pain you feel might not always be on both sides of the ear. There are some cases wherein the pain can be felt only on one side of the ear. Treating the pain you feel on one ear uses the same approach as when you experience pain in both ears.
But before you perform these exercises, you need to see a doctor to diagnose if this is really TMJ. You can also use their expertise to ensure that you are not suffering from any other condition. Otherwise, you could aggravate the condition.
Best Exercises to Relieve TMJ Pain
Pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is quite common affecting up to 35 million people in the US alone. If you suffer from the symptoms of this condition, the pain can range from moderate to extreme. Fortunately, there are exercises that you can perform to alleviate the pain. These exercises are designed to stretch the muscles in your jaw area and to strengthen them. By doing these exercises on a regular basis, you are also able to train the muscles in that area to move correctly so as to cause as little pain as possible. Whenever you do an exercise on one side of the face, make sure to do it on the other side for best results.
You can try these exercises in order to get relief from pain and restore function in your jaw and chin area.
- Chin Tucks – A chin tuck is a simple exercise that you can perform standing or seated. This exercise is self-explanatory because all you have to do is tuck your chin close to your neck, and then extending it back. Do this for a few more times on several repetitions. Hold each position for three seconds before you move to the next step, and so on.
- Jaw Stretches – Stretching your jaw on a regular basis is important to remedy TMJ pain. But there is a proper way to perform the jaw stretching exercises. First off, you need to relax your jaw. After that, open your mouth as wide as you possibly can. Like the chin tucks, you have to do several repetitions of this exercise.
- Jaw Massage – Performing a massage on your jaw is another simple technique that you can do to relieve your jaw and chin of pain. Use your fingers to perform a downward motion on your jaw and chin. Do this for as long as desired and throughout several times in a day.
- Zig-zag Stretches – This is another stretching exercise that you can perform to relieve TMJ pain. This is also one of the simplest stretches you can perform that will instantly ease the pain you are feeling. You need to keep your mouth closed throughout the duration of this exercise. The next step is to shift your eyes towards one direction (you can choose right or left). You can stretch your jaw as far as you can towards one direction. When you do this, do not move your head or your mouth.
- Chin Resistance – To alleviate the pain from TMJ, it is important to strengthen your chin. There are plenty of chin exercises to help with that. To do this exercise, you need to place your thumb underneath your chin. With the thumb at the center of your chin, slowly open your mouth. As this happens, you need to apply gentle pressure with your thumb at the bottom of your chin. Keep your mouth open for up to 6 seconds at a time. Repeat this a few times each day.
TMJ Pain in Ear
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is quite common affecting up to 35 million people in the US alone. If you suffer from the symptoms of this condition, the pain can range from moderate to extreme. You can try the exercises recommended above when you feel the pain. But if the pain you feel is persistent, and especially if the pain worsens over time, you need to consult a TMJ expert that can fix the problem.
