If you are currently suffering from temporomandibular joint disorder then perhaps you’ve thought about acupuncture for TMJ pain. Maybe you’re wondering why acupuncture for TMJ disorder is a better option than surgery or pain medication. First and foremost, visits to your doctor are both time-consuming and wallet-draining experiences. Moreover, many practitioners will simply prescribe expensive medications laden with side effects. Why bother?
There are all kinds of great remedies out there to explore. One great alternative is acupuncture for TMJ discomfort. Why don’t we examine exactly what this is before delving into it’s healing aspects. So relax your jaw and take a few deep breaths while we examine pins and needles.
Sitting on Pins and Needles (not literally, we hope)
So what exactly is acupuncture? Quite simply, it is the insertion of small needles into predetermined points of the body that have been proven to provide relief. This can be relief from physical pain, mental pain, anxiety, and much more. Because it has never been proven by the scientific community as an authoritative manner to treat physical and mental pain, however, acupuncture is still considered to be an alternative medicine.
Well, TMJ home remedies and alternative medicines are what we’re all about. With that in mind, let’s examine why this needle-inserting remedy for TMJ pain is something you may want to explore.
Pins Pinpoint Pain Points
Perhaps the most important reason to leverage acupuncture for TMJ pain is because the treatment targets the root cause of your pain. This is a key difference between home and alternative remedies versus doctors and pain medications. This alternative strategy strives to alleviate your pain at the point in which is begins, and not simply to mask it temporarily with muscles relaxers and pain medications.
So why does this technique work? There are two perspectives:
- Ancient Chinese theories suggest that acupuncture – be it in the jaw for TMJ or the elbow for arthritis – helps to restore your balanced flow of energy. That seems pretty simple enough.
- Modern research has its own reasoning – albeit scientifically unproven – as to why this therapy is so effective. Some researchers believe that when the pins are inserted into a specific point that the quality of signaling that occurs along the nerve is drastically changed. It also greatly stimulates the release and flow of endorphins. In turn, the perception of pain to the brain is vastly dampened.
Why it’s clear that additional scientific research is key to pinpointing (pun intended) the reason acupuncture is so effective for pain relief, the bottom line is that studies have shown that it’s a viable way to fight TMJ pain.
Lastly, it’s important to implement additional home remedies into your acupuncture-relaxing lifestyle. These activities include quick and easy stretches, alterations to your diet (such as excluding caffeine), and making sure to exercise at least 4-5 days per week. These home remedies, combined with acupuncture for TMJ pain, can provide you with a world of relief.
Tags: acupuncture, TMJ
