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From: Catalina
Date: 04-14-2005, 07:08 PM (1 of 7)
| if so , just wondering what you do for it. Thanks |
User: Catalina
Member since: 01-06-2005 Total posts: 119 |
From: susies1955
Date: 04-14-2005, 07:49 PM (2 of 7)
I have TMJ and the most important thing for me is to realize when I'm getting tense and relax. The chiropractor has been great too. She puts rubber gloves on and massages the muscles back inside my mouth where the muscles are tight. She also massages my head and straightens my neck out.  Hope you get better soon. Susie northern NY
http://community.webshots.com/user/susies1955 |
User: susies1955
Member since: 11-07-2003 Total posts: 124 
|
From: SummersEchos
Date: 04-14-2005, 09:12 PM (3 of 7)
|
Yep Susie is right there, I have TMJ too and when I get stressed or tense I have to make myself become aware of my actions. The dentist gave me this mouthpiece to wear, mostly when I went to sleep. It worked but I have a hard time sleeping with this plastic mold on my teeth. When I have had a real stressfull day I will put it in and deal with it. When I know I am getting to stressed out I break away (if possible) and take my mind to a favorite spot. If I can't break away I just do deep breathing till I have calmed down a bit. Summer Summer
FREE FALLIN |
User: SummersEchos
Member since: 09-29-2004 Total posts: 884 |
From: Raine
Date: 04-14-2005, 11:46 PM (4 of 7)
|
I've had TMJ syndrome since 1983. I had a viral infection, and after I felt better, the TMJ syndrome started. I worked with a dentist for many years; he made me a splint (plastic and metal retainer). Eventually, he capped most of my bottom teeth to re-create the splint. I still have a headache, but not nearly as bad as in 1983. My advice to you--remove as much stress as possible from your life. If you don't have time to run to the grocery store before you pick up the kids, then don't go; do it later. Removing even relatively simple stresses from your life such as that will help. If you're a perfectionist, give it up!! Let the little things roll of your back, and deal with the big issues. I have also found going to the chiropractor helpful. Good luck! |
User: Raine
Member since: 04-19-2000 Total posts: 259 
|
From: Hippiegirl
Date: 04-15-2005, 12:21 AM (5 of 7)
|
if so , just wondering what you do for it. Thanks I got tmj from a car accident when I was 19. I used to sing opera and it interfered greatly. I'm a massage therapist now and I have deep tissue done on my jaw and neck. I also have head massages on my scalp. One thing that works great is to take a pencil and put it sideways and bite between your molars. This stretches the muscles apart instead of clinching them down. While I bite down on the pencil, I massage the muscles. Massage till it hurts otherwise you're not doing much to release the tention. Another thing, bite down on the pencil and roll your neck around to loosen your neck. Yoga postures help greatly. Also, ibuprofen helps. |
User: Hippiegirl
Member since: 03-21-2005 Total posts: 77 |
From: Catalina
Date: 04-15-2005, 12:43 PM (6 of 7)
Thanks everyone- I guess stress is the main culprit then. I am going to PT and it seems to be improving slowly.. I am just glad to see there is life after getting a diagnosis of TMJ- sounds like yous are doing well. I guess it just takes time to heal. Happy sewing and thanks for the advice and encouraging words. 
|
User: Catalina
Member since: 01-06-2005 Total posts: 119 |
From: Hippiegirl
Date: 04-15-2005, 03:12 PM (7 of 7)
|
Thanks everyone- I guess stress is the main culprit then. I am going to PT and it seems to be improving slowly.. I am just glad to see there is life after getting a diagnosis of TMJ- sounds like yous are doing well. I guess it just takes time to heal. Happy sewing and thanks for the advice and encouraging words. It just takes awareness to know when your getting stressed. There is not much we can do to remove stress from our lives unless we move into rural america but that comes with a whole different set of stressors. It's not so easy to take people out of our lives if they provide stress especially if they are family. As soon as I notice the stress effecting my jaw, I start massaging it myself. I really mean it that when you massage it it should hurt a good deal. TMJ hurts anyway, so it will hurt when you massage it out. When I went to PT after my accident, they were wooses at massage. My boyfriend is a PT and I still have to pay someone else to massage me who is stronger and do deep tissue. PT are trained to not do deep tissue so the recovery is slower - in my opinion. I have noticed stress around my shoulders when sewing and I also hold my breath..... I have to tell my self to breathe while sewing. When singing opera I would rotate my neck to keep it all loose while singing. I do this while sewing too. Thanks for IDT on my Pfaff, I can look away for a moment and not worry too much about messing up. |
User: Hippiegirl
Member since: 03-21-2005 Total posts: 77 |
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