Are you among the 10 million Americans facing frustration dealing with TMJ symptoms? In Oregon’s outdoor mecca of Bend, there is strong support for breaking free of TMJ-related pain and in having access to natural remedies and options for helping with the daily grind. Here’s how Bend’s outdoor lifestyle can impact and leave a mark on those lines of muscle knots around your face and the clicking noises when you eat.
What is TMJ?
TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint, or jaw joint and the surrounding muscle tissue and ligaments that support it. According to the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain, around one-third to one-fourth of the population will get TMJ disorder at some point in their lives. Symptoms can include headaches, earaches, ringing in the ears, dizziness, jaw pain, tension in the neck and neck, clicking or popping noises when the jaw is used, and even toothaches seemingly unrelated to any dental pathology.
What Does Bend’s Outdoor Lifestyle Have to Do with It?
While it may seem like a stretch to connect outdoor fun to the question of extreme relaxation for aching muscles in your jaw, it makes complete sense in light of new research revealing how yoga and relaxed living can help. Bend residents are lucky to be so close to an endless array of outdoor options, including scenic loop trails for hiking, kayaking in the river, and free spirited bike rides over the smoothest and most exhilarating terrain’s.
Besides the great views, what’s really thrilling for those with TMJ disorder is that Majid Abdullah at the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain has been pioneering research about the relationship between jaw disorders and other bodily tensions and contra coordinated activities lasting over minutes. Joint imbalances, tension, poor breathing exercise and life-long stress can actually play into TMJ and physiological support to it.
By contrast, regular physical activity in the benign environments of Bend can help to ease the effects of these activities, help to promote relaxation in the body and ease the remaining symptoms of TMJ. Abdullah also conducted a research project showing yoga can balance the autonomic nervous system (who’s responsibility is the regulation VO2 max sustain jaw function), help the sympathetic nervous system to clear away excess tension from muscles and help to clear out the adhesions in the fascia.
What Other Therapies are Available?
Abdullah isn’t just talking when it comes down to it. His study actually supports the use of massaging the jaw, throat, facial and neck muscles, hot packs, steam treatments, deep-breath retraining and even gently incorporating regular swimming, biking and jogging to help reduce the jaw’s overuse and prevent the underlying sources of tension.
Parting Thoughts
Being in the heart of the outdoor mountain and river area of Bend is a great way to help avoid tension-based symptoms. Exploring different areas and doing a variety of activities can be really helpful, giving people the sense of accomplishment from pushing themselves and being well rounded rather than just overdoing one activity.
Whether you’re just starting out with a gentle hike, using a steam treatment or changing your PRAM exercising approach, it can help to do something once in a while and do it in a less contracted environment. Getting out in Bend can help to replace tension with relaxation, stability and the opportunity to gain access to new treatments.
In the end, your stronger, relaxed temples, jaw, ligaments and muscles will thank you.