TMJ Relief

and_peggy

Hello all! I will be 10 weeks Thursday and for nearly 3 weeks now i've been having severe TMJ flareups. I've had my fair share of dental/orthodontic work done in my life and have had TMJ for atleast 15 years but never really had too many issues. I'd occasionally get jain soreness but nothing I couldn't deal with. I've also dealt with chronic migraines for over 8 years so i'm no stranger to pain. I have worn a nightguard for over 10 years, as I grind my teeth. I'm obviously not taking Advil, but the meds I can take don't really help. I also have an arthritis cream that I am unable to use due to the pregnancy. My dentist was less than helpful in this matter, and i've yet to hear back from my OB. Anybody have any experience with this and home remedies that have been successful? I need some sort of relief from this radiating ear/jaw/head pain. Thanks!

HorrorDoll

Dental assistant here. Try switching to a soft diet for a minimum of 2 weeks. No chewy meats like porkchops or overlooked beef, no chewy breads like pizza crust or bagels, no candy or gum. You want to avoid everything that will make your jaw work overtime.
What kind of night guard do you wear? If it's soft, you need a hard one. If you have a hard one already, it might need to be adjusted by the dentist.
In the meantime, apply warm compresses to the area. Ask your OB if it's safe for you to take ibuprofen as you need an anti- inflammatory.
I hope that helps!!

HorrorDoll

Overcooked beef I meant. Not overlooked. Darn auto correct!

and_peggy

Thanks so much for all the advice! I'll definitely adjust my diet. I have a hard night guard. I grind my teeth so badly that I've worn through about 4 of the hard plastic ones. It's also a retainer, specifically for my mouth, since I had braces when I was younger. Not sure if they'd be able to adjust that without creating me a new one. But I certainly look into that! Thanks again!

ejled

You may consider seeing a physical therapist. TMJ can be treated by manual therapy as well as cervical posture/scapular reeducation. Also, there is often a strong relationship with forward head posture in which some simple exercise prescription may be able to help if this applies to you. Good luck!

and_peggy

Thanks! I'll look into physical therapy. I appreciate the information!