What is TMJ? Plus 3 Stretches to Help Jaw Pain

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint.  It is the joint at the right and left of  your jaw, just under your ears.  When people say they have “TMJ,” they mean pain and stiffness in the jaw joints and in the jaw itself.  What causes this pain? Commonly, when people are very  stressed, their muscles tend to become tense and tight.  In addition to jaw pain, this muscle tension can cause chronic muscle tightness in the neck and shoulders and lead to headaches.  Usually, a tense neck and shoulders accompanies jaw pain. It is common to tense up the neck and shoulder muscles without realizing it!  Teeth grinding and clenching is another unconscious stress reaction. Is this you? Being intentional helps to recognize stress and let it go. 

You can manage TMJ and jaw pain at home with the use of heating pads,  warm compresses, deep breathing, acupuncture, meditation, stretches and self-massage.

Here are 3 stretches you can do for relief.

1. Chin Tuck.  With your shoulders back and chest up, pull your chin straight back, creating a “double-chin”.  Hold for three seconds and repeat 10 times.
2. Massage. Press up on the big muscles on the side of your jaw and slowly open your mouth.
3. Relaxed Jaw.  Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth.  Slowly allow your jaws to come apart while keeping your jaw muscles fully relaxed.
   

One thing to not do is chew gum.  Chewing gum can exacerbate the pain and discomfort felt in the jaw.

What difference does this make for you? Please comment below because I would love to know.