The best medicines for TMJ pain are over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatories, such as Tylenol and ibuprofen. In some extreme circumstances, a dentist may prescribe something stronger, but even then it's likely to be a prescription ibuprofen, not opioid painkiller.
Generally, you can expect a TMJ flare-up to last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. In rare cases, TMJ flare-ups can last for several weeks. If your TMJ symptoms don't resolve within this timeframe, talk to your orthodontist about possible treatment options.
Muscle relaxants.
These treat myofascial pain. This is pain that occurs in the soft tissues or muscles around the TMJ. Muscle relaxants help ease muscle tension which reduces pressure on the TMJ from tight jaw muscles.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs are commonly used to relieve the pain and inflammation in the TMJ and muscles of the jaw, face, and neck. Evidence: NSAIDs may help with acute, localized TMJ inflammation, but they might not be much better than placebo in chronic TMJ pain.
Commonly known muscle relaxants include Soma, Skelaxin, Zanaflex, and Robaxin. Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) blocks nerve impulses (or pain sensations) sent to the brain. Diazepam (Valium) has also been shown to relieve TMJ-related 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.
TMJ disorder is most often caused by tension in the jaw. In order to get relief, you need to actively relax your jaw. Touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth and open your mouth slightly so that your teeth are not touching. Hold this relaxed position for as long as you can.
Eat soft foods. Apply heat or cold to the face in combination with exercises to gently stretch and strengthen the jaw muscles. Take over-the-counter medications, for example nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen. Reduce habits such as jaw clenching, gum chewing, or nail biting.
Mild cases of TMJ disorder may only produce a clicking or popping sound. Others may experience discomfort or tenderness in the jaw. More severe cases of TMJ can cause aching in the face, neck, shoulders, ears, and head. It may also be painful to talk, eat, or yawn.
Although it's very common to experience pain when you have TMJ, it becomes serious when this pain doesn't go away or if it becomes worse. If you're dealing with any sort of pain in your jaw or mouth, it's best to seek a medical professional for a checkup.
If you notice that you clench or grind during the day, position the tip of your tongue between your teeth. This practice trains your jaw muscles to relax. Relax your jaw muscles at night by holding a warm washcloth against your cheek in front of your earlobe.
poor posture, which can throw your lower jaw forward, disrupting the normal operation of your jaw muscles; weak neck muscles that can put an undue strain on your TMJ; certain medications that promote grinding and clenching; a vitamin D deficiency that can bring on muscle pain.
Factors That Can Trigger a Flare-up
Injury or trauma to the jaw can most certainly cause painful symptoms to begin. Other triggers that may bring on a TMJ flare-up include dehydration, vitamin D deficiency, changes in hormone levels and even poor posture that causes tension on the TMJ and other facial structures.
While there are several reasons a patient can experience sudden or severe jaw pain, inflammation and overworked muscles tend to be the most common causes of TMJ flare-ups. Many physical changes and lifestyle habits can contribute to swelling around the joint and muscle tension.
Succinylcholine. Succinylcholine is the only depolarizing muscle relaxant.
Massage is highly effective in treating TMJ both directly and indirectly. In a French study, 15 patients presenting with TMJ were treated with massage of the lateral pterygoid muscle. The results showed that joint clicking was solved in 80% and pain in 50% of the cases.
A tight jaw can result from stress, anxiety, inflammation, or injury. Overexerting the jaw — by chewing too much, for example — can also cause muscle tightness. The joint of the jaw, also called the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), is a ball-and-socket joint similar to that in the shoulder.
According to research, taking magnesium supplementation is really helpful to get relief from TMJ pain. Keep in mind that magnesium has the ability to relax the muscles. As reported, most Americans have low magnesium levels, so taking magnesium supplementation can make a huge difference in that case.
Are there over-the-counter muscle relaxers? There are no over-the-counter (OTC) muscle relaxants in the United States. But some OTC medications can help muscle issues (like soreness), such as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and acetaminophen.
Place 2 to 3 fingers on the muscles below your cheek bones. If you clench your teeth, you should feel the muscles tighten under those fingers. Press into the muscles and hold that pressure for 6 to 10 seconds. Keep your jaw relaxed and repeat in another tender or tight area of your cheek.