For a long time I shopped at a national drugstore chain in the small town I lived in. And, I knew most of the employees on sight since I was in there regularly. The reason I am mentioning this I this is that I had a first-hand exposure to TMJ.
Sometimes when I went in the store I would see one employee with her hand up to her jaw. And, she would have a pained look on her face. I was not sure what the problem was so I finally asked her if she was alright. She definitely was not.
“I have TMJ” she said and “it hurts so much it brings tears to my eyes.” Of course, I had no idea what TMJ was so I asked her. She went on to describe it as best she could and it certainly sounded just as bad as the look on her face. So, what is TMJ?
Temporomandibular (joint and muscle disorder). So, the unlucky person who suffers from this condition has both dysfunction and pain in the jaw joint and the muscles. Now, let’s understand that this condition causes enormous pain as you might imagine.
These are the most common symptoms you might experience if you have TMJ.
Now, can you imagine having to live with those kinds of symptoms every day?
In the United States alone it is estimated that over 10 million people have TMJ. That is a staggering number. Imagine living with this condition day in and day out. It is debilitating, life-altering and depressing.
The woman I met was about 35 years old and had suffered with this condition since she was twenty. She had seen countless doctors and even dentists in an effort to get this under control and she never had. Let’s take a look at some traditional treatments that doctors have in their TMJ arsenal.
Both doctors and dentists first try NSAIDs to manage TMJ symptoms before turning to prescription medications.
NSAIDs are often prescribed to assist the patient with both jaw pain and the inflammation that TMJ causes. One example of the OTC (over-the-counter) NSAID would be Advil (Ibuprofen). And, sometimes doctors prescribe muscle relaxing drugs to help. They can help with both the jaw pain and extreme discomfort.
If you are tackling NSAIDs without a doctor or dentist involved, beware. These medications have side effects and some are dangerous. First, you may become drowsy when taking them. Others cause weight gain. And, NSAIDs may interact with other medications you are taking. Above all else, NSAIDs may cause intestinal bleeding. And, that can be life-threatening.
If NSAIDs are not strong enough to curb your pain, the doctor or dentist may prescribe a pain medication that will. Once again, all pain-relieving prescription medications offer the risk that you may become addicted to them.
Frankly speaking, this writer recommends that you discuss any medication you want to take for TMJ with you doctor or dentist to make certain you are aware of all of the potential benefits and/or risks involved.
A less frequently used treatment is to inject (botulinum) toxin type A. (Botox for example).These injections are made directly into the muscles that control your chewing. In more extreme cases, open jaw surgery is performed on the affected individual.
If a dentist is reviewing a TMJ patient, it is often found that some teeth are causing the jaw to strike incorrectly. In plain talk, the teeth are out of whack. Of course, it may or may not solve the total problem by removing those teeth.
Rather than running the risk of dangerous side effects using NSAIDs; prescription medications; or, surgery, how about this.
As most of you know, Glucosamine has been clinically studied for decades and has had many positive outcomes for joints. Now having said that, let’s break this down in the setting of TMJ.
TMJ involves a joint structure. In fact, your jaw is a pretty complex joint structure. So, what would you say to trying Glucosamine here?
If you have been reading the articles on this website you are probably aware of some of the downsides to using Glucosamine pills. Most contain “fillers and binders” that interfere with absorption. And unfortunately, many are of low quality and have tested as “not having the claimed ingredients.” That is certainly not going to help you. Let’s compare the alternative.
As compared to pills or capsules of Glucosamine, a pharmaceutical-quality liquid Glucosamine offers you substantial benefits. That is particularly so when the ingredients are rigorously tested. Such is the case with Synflex® liquid Glucosamine.
Back in 2000, Synflex America, Inc. was getting ready to change the world of Glucosamine forever. With the internet introduction of its products in 2001, it happened. And, the power and performance of Synflex® has not changed to this day. In fact, over 1 million bottles have been sold to the public since that time.
Synflex® liquid Glucosamine comes in 1,250 mg. (Synflex® Original Formula) and 1,500 mg. (Synflex® 1500) For TMJ sufferers, this writer would suggest the use of the Synflex® 1500 product. Simply take ¼ oz. a day either “as it comes in the bottle” or, add it to your favorite juice drink.
In most cases, it will take a minimum of (3) days for you to feel the impact on your TMJ. In most cases, it will take 7-10 days.
You can double your intake of Synflex® by taking ¼ oz. in the morning and ¼ oz. in the evening. Since you are now ingesting twice the normal dosage, you should continue until you can physically feel the difference in your TMJ. Once you do, it is usually safe to cut back to the normal recommended dose of ¼ oz. daily. If that is not working for you, then go back to the double dose regimen.
TMJ does not have to destroy your life. And, there are safe and effective ways to deal with it.
Be strong. Free yourself.