If you’re currently suffering from temporomandiular joint disorder, then there’s a good chance you’ve looked into physical therapy for TMJ pain. And why wouldn’t you? The constant throbbing and aching that pulsates through your jaw can make it difficult to sleep, work, and perform the simplest of daily functions. Physical therapy for TMJ might feel like your only hope.
Fear not, however. There are numerous, easy-to-do home remedies for TMJ that can prove to be viable alternatives compared with expensive visits to your physical therapist. This can prove especially important if you don’t have insurance to cover the cost of your therapy. With that in mind, why don’t we examine some simple and easy home remedies you can do that – on their own – just might be the physical therapy for TMJ disorder that you’ve been looking for.
It’s Time to Drop That See-Food Diet
Yes, yes. We all know the clichéd joke. “I’m on a seafood diet. When I see food. I eat it.” Now that we’re both done not laughing, let’s talk about alterations you can make to your diet. This will be an important step to take before you even start physical activities at home. Start by making these changes to your diet:
- Say goodbye to caffeine – This can mean letting go of your Mountain Dew and Starbucks addictions, as well as foods such as energy bars. The elimination of caffeine from your diet will increase relaxation so you’re not so tense all the time.
- Fruits and veggies – Nothing too shocking here. The addition of fruits and veggies – combined with the elimination of foods that only drag your body down, such as fast foods and candy – will give you the vital energy you need for exercising.
- Magnesium – Studies have shown that an increase in magnesium levels can decrease instances of headaches, diabetes, and even TMJ disorder. An easy way to increase magnesium levels is to consume eggs, cottage cheese, spinach, oat bran muffins, and legumes.
I Wanna See You Move It!
Now that we’ve tweaked our diet for the better, let’s talk about physical therapy for TMJ pain you can do yourself in your spare time. First and foremost, you need to make sure you are exercising at least four days per week. What is it that you love to do? Perhaps you love walking in the park. In that case, grab your dog (or your best friend’s pooch) and take a stroll. Do you love to swim? There are plenty of recreational centers and community colleges where you can swim for a very affordable enrollment fee. Perhaps you enjoy boxing. OK, maybe getting punched in the jaw isn’t such a great idea right now. So if you love boxing or martial arts of any kind, it might be best to focus your energy on punching bags and pads right now before you start sparring with the biggest person in the gym.
Physical therapy for TMJ disorder doesn’t have to include expensive and time-consuming visits with a therapist. With simple alterations to your diet and a keen focus on your exercise regiment, you can begin to take advantage of these simple remedies today. A pain free existence is right around the corner. Just put down that energy drink, grab a cold bottle of water, and jog after it.
Tags: home remedies, physical therapy, TMJ
