How I'm Naturally Healing my TMJ
Today I’ve got some long overdue tips for how I deal with my chronic Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJD). This resources post is way beyond 101, as I’ve spent years and thousands of dollars looking for solutions, and this is what I’ve found works best for me.
The causes of chronic pain generally are still not well understood by the medical community. And TMJD in particular falls “between the cracks” in the medical world, with very few doctors or dentists trained on how to treat jaw/head/neck disorders holistically. I’m sure I’m not alone in being referred by my dentist to a doctor, by my doctor to a specialist and then by my specialist to another dentist. Lather, rinse, repeat. Round and round the Ferris wheel of despair we go.
I’ve written this to share what has worked for me — in hopes that it helps you or someone you know get some relief. Everything in this article is based on my own research and testing on my own body. I’m not a doctor or a dentist. Just a wellness blogger who’s used herself as a guinea pig. You’re welcome.
I’ve included links to specialists and resources at the bottom of the post.
My Journey, In Brief
I started grinding my teeth when I was 21, shortly after I got whiplash in a car accident. I got a mouth guard at that point, which protected my teeth. But I started getting headaches a few years later. As life got more stressful the headaches got worse, and I started getting more jaw, face, neck and shoulder pain. This is despite living a very active life, doing yoga and other rigorous exercise. At 26 my pain worsened to the degree that it was interfering with functioning normally. It became a constant struggle.
At this point I began consistently seeking out therapeutic help, starting with getting rechecked by dentists (who could only confirm I had TMJD but offered no solutions beyond hard plastic mouthguards).
From 2018-2019 my pain was at it’s height, leaving me functionally disabled. I was unable to work and spent most of my time in bed with excruciating headaches and neck pain. I didn’t know how I was going to move forward with my life. I became depressed, fearing that this would be my “normal” from then on.
Since 2017 I’ve tried a number of therapies, both allopathic and alternative. Including: functional nutrition interventions, elimination diets, chiropractic, myofascial massage, acupuncture, physical therapy, dry needling, prescribed muscle relaxers, herbal interventions, sauna, cold therapy aka Wimhof method, hypnotherapy, trauma therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, dance therapy, reiki, energy healing, PEMF devices aka AMP coil, detoxes / cleanses, functional strength training, gait retraining (aka relearning how to walk correctly), supplementation, flower essences, meditation, journaling, forest bathing and prayer.
I stopped short of injecting botox into my face or putting gem stones in my hoo ha, but considering the sorry state I was in I was honestly open to ANYTHING.
Christmas day 2018 I decided I was going to run full tilt towards healing no matter the cost. I had watched my own mother struggle with a chronic pain disability my whole life, and was not willing to repeat that story. In 2019 I started treating my healing and self-care like a part-time job. That made all the difference. During that year I made more progress than in the previous 4 years combined.
Thanks to my dedication and daily self-care practices my pain is down from an 8 out of 10 on the pain scale to 0-2. The worst it gets is a 4 if I skip out on my self care work for 3-4 days. I would say that’s MASSIVE INCREDIBLE HOLY HOT DANG ALERT THE PRESSES progress. Wouldn’t you?
Causes of Bruxism and TMJD
There is a fair amount of contention on what actually causes TMJD. Yes, misaligned jaw and facial bones can certainly be the culprit. But WHY are they misaligned? I’m always far more interested in the root cause of an issue vs. the symptoms.
In my own experience (and in my observation of others suffering from TMJD) there are a number of contributing causes to painful TMJD — aside from the obvious cause (misaligned jaw/teeth). These are my theories, substantiated by my personal journey and conversations with my network of healers. Again, I’m not a doctor.
Fascia Adhesions AKA painful “knots.” These can cause radiating pain/tightness in other areas of the body, including the jaw. These are the “knots” a massage therapist might work out in a session. Fascia is a web-like substance that is layered throughout our muscle systems, allowing muscles to slide over one another. Injury, prolonged use, stress and chronic tension can cause these “knots” to become very painful and difficult to work out. For TMJD, my own knots have been in my chest, shoulders, arms, neck, face, hips and calves. Seemingly unrelated parts of the body are connected (yes, literally connected). Working them out helps with my jaw pain.
Hypermobility (commonly known as hyper flexibility or being “double jointed” ). A very common disorder (15% of the population roughly) that for many is asymptomatic. However, a lot of hyper mobile people experience inexplicable pain and frequent injury due to destabilization of connective tissue around major muscle systems. Hypermobile people often experience a cascade of injuries starting from 1 original injury. I myself am hypermobile. In my case, an injury in my right shoulder has caused a cascade of over-compensation in the right side of my body, leading to one leg acting as if it’s 1 inch shorter than the other. I assure you, my legs are the same length. I’m sure I’ve been walking around with this injury unconsciously for years, believe the origin of my pain is in my neck when it’s actually in my upper back. Physical therapy and strength retraining have been essential for me.
Nervous system over-activation AKA living in “fight or flight” mode. Living in constant stress and fear (even unconsciously) worsens pain, tightens muscles and (oddly) loosens joints. Great for escaping from tigers. Not so great for living regular life.
Poor posture and core weakness. Posture is all about the core. If your core (aka everything that is not your arms, legs and head) is weak then your posture is suffering —whether you know it or not. As a yogi I thought my posture was fine. But after being analyzed by a functional movement expert I learned that my hips and rib cage are twisted in opposite directions and the tightness / weakness in my upper back and chest keeps my neck constantly working to keep my head on my shoulders. It doesn’t help that I work either at my desk sitting for long periods or holding a heavy camera, usually at eye level or above my head. The body is highly adaptive. It will adapt to whatever repetitive movements you do over time — even if your moving in a dysfunctional pattern, all in an attempt to keep your head from toppling off of your body. Which is why postural retraining and core strengthening is necessary for 99% of humans.
Adrenal burn out. When your adrenals are over worked and can no longer provide adrenaline, fatigue sets in and can worsen pain. Adrenal fatigue can trigger an array of endocrine (hormone) issues as your body once again adapts to its new normal. Endocrine imbalance can cause all sorts of wacky things to happen in your body.
Poor sleep quality. Sleep is absolutely CRITICAL to reducing pain. If you take anything away from this post, please let it be GET YOUR SLEEP IN ORDER. Poor sleep is linked to increased chronic pain, overstimulated nervous system activation and a cascade effect of endocrine imbalances. Your body needs rest to recover from stress and to process your experiences. If you improve your sleep, you will improve your chances of decreasing pain exponentially.
Physical trauma. Whiplash is commonly connected to TMJD, but many other physical injuries can also cause mobility patterns that can impact your jaw. Have you had a major physical trauma? How about minor ones? How might they be connected to movement patterns related to your jaw? As mentioned above, I’ve experienced whiplash. I’ve also had injuries from inversions and rollovers in yoga.
Emotional trauma. A touchy subject, inherently, but important to mention. In my opinion many of us have unprocessed traumas that live in our bodies. Emotional trauma can be a core or contributing cause for chronic pain conditions like TMJD.
There are certainly other contributing factors! Those listed above are just the ones I find are most often unknown or forgotten.
Helpful Therapies
Honestly, anything that helps you in your pain journey is therapeutic and valid in my book. I’ve spent a ton of money exploring what’s “out there.” I can confidently say this: what works for one person might not work for the next. That being said, the following therapies, interventions and tools had an impact for me (ordered from most effective at the top to less effective at the bottom).
Dry Needling — the most painful thing I’ve ever loved. Involves inserting microfilament needles into muscular trigger points and attaching light electrical stimulation to provoke a healing response. Read more about it here. The most effective therapy I’ve ever used.
Functional Movement Retraining — Essentially pilates-based rehabilitation from a biomechanics perspective. In March 2019 I started going to Posture Pilates for this service, beginning with rehab classes, retraining my walk and developing foundational core strength. As a hypermobile person it’s been incredibly hard for me to develop strength without overly relying on my stretchiness. A year into the work, I can honestly say it’s a game changer. I’m stronger than ever and my posture and pain is so much better! I attribute much of my success in healing to Posture.
Myofascial Massage — This style of massage is designed to release “knots” in your fascia. Fascia is the web-like material that weaves around and throughout muscle, enabling muscles to slide easily over top of each other as you move. Healthy fascia is supple and elastic. Unhealthy fascia is tightly wound and stiff. We get “knots” and dysfunction through injury, chronic tension, poor posture, repetitive movement and dehydration. Myofascial massage specialists work the fascia lines in the body, which frees up muscles and relieves pain. Especially if you experience Myofascial Pain Syndrome (look it up!). Especially great for TMJD and neck / facial pain since the fascia in the head and neck can develop all sorts of “knots” that are hard to release with self-massage.
Core Conditioning via Pilates — this is related to functional movement retraining. But I’m bringing it up separately because I want to share how critical strengthening core muscles is to reducing — even eliminating — neck and jaw dysfunction. I myself have chronically weak core muscles, made worse by my hyper mobility. Hyper mobile people typically struggle to get core muscles to fire because we adapt to rely on our flexibility instead of strength for basic movements. Strengthening my core has helped support my neck, functionally allowing my shoulder, neck and head/face muscles to stop firing constantly. This in turn results in less chronic pain. Long story short, strengthen your core!
Physical Therapy — for about 6 months I saw a physical therapist once or twice a week and found it helpful. PT is one of the best things you can do for TMJD, particularly if you can find a progressive Physical Therapist that does massage on your shoulder, neck, head, face and arms. Physical Therapy can give you a solid foundation of exercises that retrain weak / tight muscles as well.
Guided Hypnotic Deep Relaxations — deep relaxation practices are critical for TMJD recovery, especially if your TMJD has been triggered by stress or nerves. I find hypnotic audio meditations especially helpful, ideally involving binaural beats. I lay down with a bolster under my knees and blanket under my head and listen for around 20 minutes. I often do my deep relaxations with only binaural beats, letting myself slip into a meditative headspace (here’s my Spotify playlist).
Emotional “Reprogramming” via Hypnosis — On a similar note, I’ve learned that there is an emotional component to pain manifesting in the body. And one of the best ways to work with emotionally-derived pain is through trauma healing work via hypnosis. Many people do EMDR, Psych-K or Neurolinguistic Programing (NLP) to reprogram their “stuck” emotions — guided by a therapist or specialist. For self-guided work, I highly recommend the To Be Magnetic program by Lacy Phillips. TBM is an online program with guided meditations designed for emotional release and development of healthy self-worth. It’s marketed as a neuroscience- and psychology-based approach to manifestation. I’ve been a member of their “pathway” program since December 2018 and I still do the meditations and journaling practices 4-5 days a week. I’ve had profound results. It’s not specifically designed for pain work, but it’s made a dent in my pain for sure so I figure it’s worth a feature here.
Herbal Interventions — Skullcap, Blue Vervain, Passionflower, Milky Oats, Ashwagandha and Tulsi Holy Basil are some of my personal favorites for muscular pain, stress, tension and getting back to balance. If you’re curious to try out herbal interventions I’d suggest checking out Urban Moonshine’s Simmer Down Tonic and Joy Tonic, which are intelligently formulated and now available at many major grocery stores (they’re owned by Traditional Medicinals). I take Simmer Down Tonic every night before bed and it helps me to fully relax my muscles as I sleep. Yogi Tea’s Vanilla Caramel Bed Time Tea and Traditional Medicinal’s Cup of Calm Tea are also easily accessible and great bedtime teas for TMJD.
Allopathic Intervention (Medication) — In my worst pain phase I was unable to work and barely able to leave the house. I consulted a pain specialist who recommended muscle relaxers, which I took for 3 months. This was a very important experience for me. My doctor’s theory was that the muscle relaxers would help retrain my body to function normally without chronic tension, without “gripping” or “firing” muscles unnecessarily. He theorized right! Relaxing my muscles afforded me time for physical therapy to finally have an impact.
Weighted Blanket — I use a small one designed for yoga practice by Ravi. The smaller size feels less claustrophobic to me, and it’s easier to move from room to room. I use weighted blankets to deepen my sleep, which has been incredibly important in my pain journey. Good sleep = less pain.
Supplementation — Magnesium is the holy grail of supplements for TMJD. I use one called Triple Calm Magnesium, a blend of three magnesiums (taurate, glycinate, malate). It’s critical for relieving muscle spasms, tightness and stress. And it improves sleep. Turmeric (curcumin) is the other holy grail for chronic pain. It reduces pain and inflammation. I use this supplement from BioSchwartz.
Topical CBD — I always have a little tin of topical CBD on hand for topical pain relief. In my purse, gym bag, by my bed, at my office desk, next to our living room couch. It’s a best excessive, I admit! But hey one of the perks of blogging as long as I have (since 2012) is the #gifted stuff I get in the mail. Definitely not complaining. Of all the brands I’ve tried I like Charlotte’s Web CBD balm the best. Balms are just so much more travel friendly!
Dance Therapy — I use dance therapy for emotional release combined with a great work out. It has helped me so much with expressing non-verbal emotions and exploring ignored or unconscious blocks (which often manifest in the body). Fascinating and highly effective. I practice many of the 5 Rhythms based modalities, sometimes called “conscious dance.”
Facial Fascia Blaster — My favorite every day self-massage tool, specifically designed for the face / jaw / neck. Works best when your body is warm. It’s cheaper via Amazon here.
Foam Pilates Roller — A non-negotiable tool for your pain-relief arsenal. I roll out my back every day, and my whole body a few times a week. Definitely helps to relieve acute pain and essential for preventing pain. I have this one by Gaiam.
Night Guard — A solid, custom, plastic night-time mouth guard is a must. It has to be shaped to fit your bite to be effective in reducing headaches and pain. I suggest going with Pro Night Guards online as they’re much cheaper than a dentist-made version. And most dentists will shape any imperfections in your guard on the spot for free.
Fascia Balls — Flexible rubber balls for self-applied massage. These can be used directly on your shoulders, neck, skull, jaw and face. So they’re excellent for targeted relief and maintenance. Therapy Ball Plus by Tune Up Fitness are my go-to.
Hot / Cold Therapy (Sauna & Cold Showers / Wimhof Method) — This is a regular complement to my self care practice. I practice 15 mins in the sauna and a 3 min cold shower with deep, slow nose breathing. I’m working up to longer cold immersion. Heat therapy has myriad positive benefits, but cold immersion is where the real juju is for pain and inflammation. When I do my cold immersion and submerge my head and neck in cold water it helps prevent pain all day. I’ve heard dozens of people attribute major pain relief to cold immersion. I would mark this much higher on the list for effectiveness but I’m just beginning to explore this seriously so I’m unsure of the holistic effect over time.
Chiropractic — I have seen a lot of chiropractors, most of whom could not make a dent in my TMJD. I currently see an applied kinesiology based chiropractor who also does craniopathy (light skull-plate manipulation) and light neuromuscular manipulation. I’ve had good results with his process.
Acupuncture — I just started this process so can’t speak to it much, but it has improved my ability to relax my muscles mildly. I have a really hard time getting my trapezius (major shoulder muscle) and head/neck/face muscles to fully relax so any chipping away at this is a win.
Reiki / Shamanic Healing — My talk therapist offers this as a complement to her practice (definitely manifested her in my life!). I can’t speak to the exact process she uses, but she certainly helped me to move through some emotional burdens that were presenting as physical sensations in my body. Specifically, she helped me to clear a painful block in my throat that kept me from speaking my wants and needs. She also helped “open up” the space where my neck meets my head, creating a sensation kin to my neck expanding to twice its size. Very “woo woo” I know — but the pain in my throat and distorted sensation of tightness in my neck has not returned. I shan’t question the magic. :)
Flower essences — A very subtle energetic intervention that I’ve come to revere in the last few years. Flower essences work on the spiritual and emotional bodies. I believe many physical issues with no physical causation originate in emotional / spiritual blocks or traumas — true in my personal experience. I switch up what flower essences I take month to month. Highly recommend checking out these $10 custom blends from Rebecca’s.
My Self Care Routines
Looking at that list you might be a little overwhelmed! To give you a sense of where to start I want to share with you what my self-care routines are for my chronic pain prevention on a day to day, weekly and monthly basis.
Daily
Rolling out on my foam roller for 5 mins
10 mins stretching and physical therapy Exercises at home
Self-massage using my fascia balls or fascia blaster (or just my hands)
Take my supplements and flower essences
Drink lots of water
Rub CBD on my shoulders, arms, neck, jaw
Sleep with my weighted blanket on my chest
Weekly
2 Posture Pilates classes
2 Strength training days at the gym (20-40 minutes)
4-5 days a week I do a 20 min To Be Magnetic meditation (sometimes every day, they count as deep relaxations in my book)
1-2 days a week I do sauna and cold immersion (I’m just starting to work this in)
Monthly
1 myofascial release massage
1-2 physical therapy or dry needling appointments
1-2 chiropractic or acupuncture appointments
1-2 dance classes a month
Concluding Thoughts
This is all to say, I’ve tried a lot of things. Many helpful. Many not so helpful. I haven’t tried everything under the sun. But I’ve found many solutions that work for me — and that might even work for you.
Along the way I’ve learned that chronic pain is complicated. Each persons experience is unique. That is why it’s so difficult to treat. In my own experience, I’ve come to believe that pain is physical (of course) — but it’s also emotional, psychological and spiritual. I spent years unconsciously repressing my voice — a pattern I picked up mirroring my mother in childhood. I spent many more years silencing myself and making myself small out of fear. As a result I unconsciously created movement patterns that reflected those feelings of smallness and repression. Grinding my teeth. Closing my throat. Limiting movement around my heart space.
The lesson that I’m still learning is that the more I work with my creative voice (literally and figuratively) the healthier I am. Closing myself down contributes to pain. Opening myself up lessens pain. My medicine is being heard and seen again, expressing myself wildly (or gently, depending on the day).
To get to this place of understanding my patterns, though, I had to be willing to limp painfully towards the answers wherever they were buried. I dove into dark waters on my darkest of nights. I had to deal with the parts of myself I was ignoring. I had to ask for help — a LOT of help. I had to go out of my way to find healers. I had to ask my community to connect me with the right people.
I’m not 100% healed — I still deal with some pain, but it’s realistic. It’s manageable. Some days I barely notice it. Progress, not perfection. Every day I’m grateful I’ve had the time and finances to dig deep into healing my chronic pain. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself.
To all of you out there suffering, let this be your sign: there is help out there for you. Be brave. Don’t give up. There is light behind those ominous storm clouds. Your path will look different than mine, but there is a path. Remember to trust your inner wisdom and seek out help wherever you can get it. There’s no shame in struggling. True courage is facing your “demons” head on precisely when it isn’t easy. Precisely when you’d rather curl up into a ball and disappear. Keep fighting those dragons, my loves. And be well.
Have a tip, resource or contact you’d like to share? Please leave a comment so the whole community can benefit from your insights! And thank you!
Resources
American Academy of Craniofacial Pain (AACP) — a resource for finding craniofacial pain specialists in your area (mostly dentists).
Curable App — a useful app for supporting your pain journey.
Hypermobility Syndromes Association — a great resource for learning more about hypermobility syndromes.
Psych K Facilitated Workshops — a profound, simple practice for “reprogramming” and releasing trauma.
To Be Magnetic — self-guided self-worth and manifestation workshops.
Wimhof Method — how to practice transformative cold immersion and breath work.
Specialists
ACAC Physical Therapy — a PT clinic in Charlottesville, VA in a health club. This is where I go for PT and Dry Needling.
Peter Bower, M.D. — Doctor specializing in musculoskeletal and neurologic disorders in Charlottesville, VA with a pilates rehab program. Has been recommended to me countless times.
Posture Studio Pilates — physical therapy and biomechanics inspired pilates studio in Charlottesville, VA offering private one-on-one sessions as well as small group rehab to advanced group classes.
Virginia Sleep and TMJ — a clinic dedicated to TMJ and sleep disorders in Richmond, VA.
Virginia Total Sleep — a clinic dedicated to sleep disorders in Richmond, VA. I’ve seen physician Alex Vaughan DDS for craniofacial pain and recommend him.
