Ouch! How To Relieve Jaw Pain Caused By Stress

Do You Suffer From Stress and Jaw Pain?

Has your dentist recommended that you might be dealing with stress and that it is causing your jaw pain? Have they recommended that you sleep with a mouth guard to stop you from grinding your teeth down to little nubs?

When we get stressed, the muscles in the face create an abnormal pressure on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) causing the pain many people suffer from. At first many of us ignore our stress and jaw pain as just an insignificant problem, but it often grows more serious and takes a toll on our health. Not only is this jaw pain a reaction to external stress, but then as this pain becomes worse we tighten and clench even further. It can become chronic stress and jaw pain. .

Bruxism

For some of us, we may develop a condition called bruxism, in which a person grinds or clenches their teeth. This can occur while sleeping or during the day. Over time, this grinding can lead to pain, limited range of motion, a wearing down of the teeth and tooth sensitivity. In the end, we may need to wear a mouth guard to help prevent grinding and clenching. Chiropractic adjustments have also had success with this neck and jaw pain stress.

TMJ Symptoms To Watch For:

Muscle pain around the jaw
Clicking or popping noises when you move your mouth or chew
Difficulty in opening the mouth due to tightness of the jaw
Pain in front part of the ear that spreads to the cheeks, ear and temple
Recurring headache or migraine
Buzzing or blocked sensation in the ear
Disturbed sleep, pain in the neck and back

Beverly’s Hot Tips For Managing Stress and Jaw Pain and Celebrating TMJ Awareness Month:

Stress impacts each of us. From the workshops that I conduct, I know that jaw pain and teeth grinding are common symptoms of stress.

Stress held in the muscles of your face can affect your ability to speak, eat, chew, swallow, make facial expressions and breathe. Beverly Beuermann-King Click to tweet

It is important to find ways to combat stress and jaw pain by trying:

Jaw Exercises: Slow, gentle jaw exercises may help increase jaw mobility and healing.
Relaxation Techniques: Relaxation and guided imagery can be helpful in dealing with the pain that accompanies jaw pain. Deep, slow breathing enhances relaxation and modulates pain sensations. Some have found yoga, massage and meditation helpful in reducing stress and aiding relaxation.
Side Sleeping: Sleep on your side using pillow support between shoulder and neck.
Relax Facial Muscles: Make a concerted effort to relax your lips and keep your teeth apart.
Yawning: Use your fist to support your chin as you yawn to prevent damage to the joint and to prevent your jaw from locking open.
Avoid nail biting, chewing gum and eating hard candy

And as always, address the source(s) of stress in your life. Find ways to remove, simplify, modify or problem solve the issues that are causing you to clench those jaw muscles. If the pain continues, see a chiropractor, massage therapist, dentist or your doctor to see if they have any additional strategies.