Stress and Jaw Pain
Have you noticed that when you are trying to manage too many things or you have serious pressures weighing on you that your jaw is sore or bothers you when you speak? Then you may need to look to managing your stress better in order to reduce pain and discomfort in your jaw.
You already know that stress and anxiety can lead to problems throughout your body like headaches and excessive stomach acid production, but it can wear on the joints in your body as well. The hormone cortisol increases inflammation so if you are prone to carrying tension in your neck muscles or your jaw, then you may notice that increased stress leads to increased strain in those areas as well.
Stress is not problematic when you are able to react to harmful triggers, but when you are not able to find relief from the stress, then you may be more likely to suffer from long term problems from stress. If you clench your teeth when you are stressed or you grind your teeth in your sleep (which can lead to fractures and even extraction), then your jaw will be a source of pain and discomfort when your stress is increased. Finding positive ways to relieve your stress can help you manage your temporomandibular joint pain.
Here are some suggestions to manage your stress:
1. Identify Your Trigger
If you find that a certain time of day your stress is higher or that certain surroundings usually leave your anxiety levels high, try to take notes. You may find that patterns start to emerge. You may already know that traffic on the way to work is always a problem, but you may not realize that when you open your email in the morning, you start to stress out.
2. Switch Your Situation
Most people find that they are stressed out when there are numerous things demanding their attention at the same time, so try to take a moment now to help reduce the stress on the future you. Some people have stressful mornings, so programming the coffee maker the night before or leaving yourself a to-do list for the morning may help you not forget anything. Other people find prioritizing their tasks helps them finish one project before moving on to the next. Sometimes when people say no to things, they find that they are better able to manage their time.
3. Switch Your Response
If you are not able to avoid or eliminate the thing that is causing you stress, like a weekly meeting with your boss, then your response to the thing can change. Instead of reacting with anxiety, take a moment to pause and breathe. Usually, that brief time can help you find a calmer way to respond.
4. Find Acceptance
You may not be able to move the other cars out of your way to make your drive home smoother, but you do not have to hold on to the anger from the extra time on your travels. Maybe the drive is a good time to listen to a book or to call an old friend. You can make the most of the circumstances and try to find ways to be grateful.
5. Pick Up Healthy Habits
You already know you need to eat more vegetables and you should get regular exercise, but those habits can help your brain produce happy chemicals to counteract your stress hormones. Even just adding a quick thirty minute walk a few times a week is a great place to start.
6. Intentionally Take Time to Relax
Everyone has their own way to relax and unwind. Some people like yoga or meditation, others like diving into a hobby like completing puzzles, and still others just put on some of their favorite music.