Waking up with a jaw isn’t the most comfortable feeling. If you experience pain along the bone, your face, nose, or ears, it most likely begins at the jaw. Several remedies exist for this condition.
The following are five effective remedies for a tight jaw.
1. Understand the Cause
When individuals experience a physical condition that bothers them, it’s important to understand its cause. Sometimes physical symptoms occur temporarily.
For example, sleeping in an odd position leads to a sore neck the next day. Individuals involved in a vehicle accident or those who participate in physical competitions experience temporary aches and pains too.
If you understand the cause of the tightness, you can practice the most effective remedy.
A person experiencing stress feels it. They notice that it shows up in several physical ways including a tight jaw. One remedy that helps discomfort in the jaw area is medication. However, it has side effects too.
Anti-inflammatory medication such as steroids can relieve discomfort. If the sensation is temporary, medication doesn’t always make sense.
Take into account the discomfort’s severity and length of time it has been noticeable.
Instead, start with an ice pack as a remedy. Apply it to the area for 20 minutes. Alternate with heat for 15 minutes.
2. Practice Preventive Measures
After understanding the cause of tightness, practice preventive measures. If stress is causing discomfort, take up yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises. Walking and low-impact aerobic exercises help diminish stress too.
Sometimes jaw tightness occurs from overuse. Therefore take a look at your diet. Crunchy foods require more effort when chewing. The entire mouth and facial area participate in the process.
Change your diet for a week or two. Consume soft foods that require little to no chewing. It’s a remedy that works for temporary and easy cases. If you notice a significant difference, make the dietary changes permanent.
3. Exercise
In this case, we mean exercise for your jaw. The goal is to increase your mouth’s range of motion.
Arthritis, age, and injuries limit a person’s range of motion. Individuals who seek to regain it, attend physical therapy. With a professional, they stretch and help their muscles become strong again.
The combination of muscle strengthening and stretching improves the patient’s range of motion.
For a tight jaw, start by warming up the mouth. Open and close it several times. Keep the motion small; it’s just a warm-up. In a sense, you’re stretching the area and preparing it for bigger movements.
Use your fingers and open your mouth up to the point where you feel pain. Hold it for 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise three times for a few days. Your goal is to repeat the exercise 12 times daily until the pain is gone or subsides.
Another exercise to try is the smile stretch. Open your mouth into the smile position. Make it as wide as possible, up to the point that you feel pain.
Hold the smile and widen it another inch or two. Take a breath. Return to the closed mouth position as you exhale. Repeat up to 10 times.
4. Invest in a Night MouthGuard
Individuals who grind their teeth at night often wake up in the morning with discomfort in their mouth and headaches. A great remedy to relieve both symptoms is investing in a mouthguard.
Night mouthguards protect the wearer’s teeth. They help relieve tension in the jaw too.
As people sleep, they don’t realize that they grind their teeth. Since it’s an activity that occurs unconsciously, there is no way to consciously stop it without waking up.
There are several mouthguards available. The night guards sold by JS Dental Lab don’t require a visit to a doctor’s office. Request a kit. When you receive it, follow the instructions. Take your teeth impressions and mail them back.
Mouthguards have a turnaround time of 48 hours after the lab receives the impressions. Thus, the individual starts feeling relief promptly.
5. Massage the Area
Physical therapy patients receive a combination of treatments. Massage is among them. Professionals in the physical therapy field aim to optimize the healing powers of blood flow.
Massaging the jaw area that is experiencing tightness follows the same logic. A massage stimulates blood flow to the area that has discomfort. Use easy circular motions. Massage the area surrounding the tightness including ears.
Practice this remedy throughout the day to relieve the tightness, especially before bed.
Conclusion
It’s possible to overcome a tight jaw. In cases where the condition persists, it’s a good idea to seek medical attention. Begin by seeing a dentist. Depending on their diagnosis, it’s wise to see a doctor next. Bacteria can cause jaw discomfort and spread to other parts of the body. Aging and chronic conditions can impact the mouth area and its bones.