Taking Control of TMJ: Your Total Wellness Program for Recovering from Temporomandibular Joint Pain, Whiplash, Fibromyalgia, and Related Disorders

I caught my clenching and/or bruxing early. However I'd chipped a rear molar in my sleep. Both of my rear molar were extremely temperature and pressure sensitive to the point that eating, drinking and tooth brushing were pure misery. I suffered from a constant sick headache. Bright lights and moderately loud sounds made it feel much worse. If I happened to accidently graze a rear-upper molar with a lower one, the pain just about sent me through the roof. I seriously had visions of having both of those teeth pulled as they hurt almost as much as a bona fide toothache. Sadly this book told of desperate people who had done exactly that under similar circumstances. But their tooth remained because they never treated the cause of it. Since I found it highly unlikely that I developed abscesses in both upper-rear molars simultaneously, TMJ seemed a likely culprit. Hence I found this book: This book explains the causes of your suffering so that it's not so frightening, and it give you options so that you don't additionally feel like a powerless victim at the mercy of the overpriced and cash-crazed American medical system that seems obsessed with drugging you or cutting you. Sadly such approaches have made things far worse for TMJ sufferers, and even more sadly, they may have been entirely unnecessary for many such sufferers. While there are many alternative. noninvasive and VASTLY less expensive strategies in this book, for me hot compresses provided short-term quick tangible relief when pressed against jaw joint and muscles. In conjunction with these muscle balms such as arnica gel, its attached homeopathic pellets as well as Tiger balm provided partial temporary analgesic relief on my cheek, jaw, temple and forehead muscles so I could at least get to sleep. Just be careful not to get the stuff in your eyes. This was all fine and good for treating the symptoms of my TMJ, but it wasn't enough. I wanted the cure. For me at least, I didn't discover the REAL cure until several miserable days later which is as follows: In conjunction with the aforementioned hot compresses, it consisted of my best friend telling me about Dr. Oz's suggestion of using a wine cork vertically between the front upper and lower teeth so that the massester muscles can relax into a stretch. It really was that simple. While your masseter (jaw) muscle are stretching you can lie down, sit up, walk, drive, read, watch TV or whatever. And if your significant other ever told you to "put a cork in it," well then...there's that too. I imagine if you do an advanced Google search such as: "Dr. Oz" and "wine cork" and TMJ, that should find it quick. Be aware that like during any stretch of a spasmed muscle, masseter muscles with TMJ are particularly stiff and might even be a trifle sore thus requiring more than just a single effort, or a brief one for that matter. Keep in mind that during the first part of the stretch, your referred pain (in my case my upper-rear teeth) hurt more for a few dozen seconds. But being accustomed to that from yoga I stuck with it. You need to let go, relax and breath into the stretch. It hurt like blazes at first, but it let go bit by bit until miraculously it disappeared altogether. What was at least as remarkable though, was that during the stretch the adjacent forehead, temple and scalp muscles muscles (the cause of your peripheral headaches and eye pain, by the way) abruptly let go and relaxed from trying to compensate for the misalignment of the masseters. As a result, the peripheral headaches and eye strain pain vanished immediately. Bonnie Prudden's book explains why this is so. It's really a helpful book so that you have the overall understanding of why your eyes and head hurts too during TMJ. Since then if I've an occasional twinge due to stress, I nightly resume wearing the brand name mouth guard called "The Doctor's Night Guard" well, ah... nightly, just in case I'm bruxing. And during the day I resume the cork stretching, and that does the trick. The last time I had to do so the tooth sensitivity (minor to moderate that time) was gone in less than 24 hours including time asleep. In addition, if you're suffering from TMJ, someone I know also swears by her chiropractor's use of an ultrasonic muscle massage. I personally never tried that because I never needed to, but if my suggestions do not work for you, then that might be an option as well. Otherwise do like I did and research your options before you let anyone do anything to you that very well may be irreversible.

After suffering for at least 13 years with constant vertigo and phantom ear problems, I found the answer behind the symptoms. I had indepth testing of my ears and brain. No tumors and not even hearing loss even though my hearing was muffled. I was diagnosed with TMJD about 13 years ago but when I was told I had TMJD all that was said was I have a jaw disorder. I took it upon myself to read blogs of other TMJD sufferers and low and behold, there it was, the demand that people with this disorder must read this amazing book. It pin points trigger points and muscles and what they cause if they are in disstress. It gives exercises to help too. I love how it shows diagrams of muscles and explains the details of fascia and the workings of it all. It was short book packed with answers to long sot after questions of pain and medical issues that cannot be solved or founded. The author is a doctor who does not want surgery and pain killers and tries to help in the most common sensical way. Great book and I feel empowered and educated. It is nice to understand the workings of the amazing machine called our bodies but even more so when there is a problem. God Bless you Dr. Uppgaard for this wonderful book and those of you who suffer. There is hope!

A must read for all TMJ sufferers! I had suffered for about 3 months with TMJ when I purchased this book. It made me aware of my bad habits, especially in terms of poor posture. I have been following the exercises to improve jaw functioning as well as the 20 exercise program for about 3 weeks now and feel better. Also, the Mckenzie books recommended by the author have been very useful for my neck and back. After understanding the physiology of the temporomandibular joint from Uppgaard's book, I went to a dentist who specializes in TMJ mouth guards and had a device made for my lower jaw - its completely rid me of my pain, though the clicking persists. Previously another dentist had given me a useless mouth guard for my upper jaw, but now, armed with knowledge from Uppgaard's book, I was more involved in the decision regarding the type of device that would help my condition.

It worked for me. 9 days into the wellness program I was off of all medication. The jaw pain was the first to disappear and the tightness slowly dissipated over the next few weeks. I had been dealing with the most recent flare for months. My range of motion is back! Prior to this flare I dealt with occasion jaw pain.I thought I would never get better. I hope the practices as prescribed by the book are helpful going forward. I feel the best I have felt in a long time. My teeth actually line up better than they have in a long time. The tongue posture recommendation in the book has helped me conquer my clenching habit and relax my face in a way I have not been able to do in years! I highly recommend this book. It helped me take a look at my overall lifestyle and how it influenced all aspects of my health. I wish one of the several health care providers that I saw for this condition had recommended it. I believe I would have had a quicker recovery from this flare. Thank you Dr. Uppgaard! I am grateful this book was available. I can eat pizza again and sing! It has greatly improved my quality of life!

[...] The above link is from the author's website; if it helps you, it is only the beginning of the advise he offers in his book. TCOTMJ is well-written and offers inexpensive treatment for the pain caused by TMJ. If you think you might have TMJ just ask yourself this: does your face hurt? Your jaw? Your neck? If you said yes at least once, just assume you've got TMJ right now and buy this book. Really. It will help make you more aware of your own body, which really, really helps you avoid doing things that can cause pain (for example, I have just read that crossing my legs when I sit messes with my posture, my muscle alignment, and hence my jaw. I cross my legs allthe time, and now I am learning to catch myself and stop it). The author of this book seems to have devoted himself to TMJ treatment, and appears to be under-selling his book on amazon. I for one feel more than happy to part with my [...] to thank this man for the help he's given me with my own pain and that of my boyfriend, who has had TMJ for years, and hopefully neither of us will ever need surgery for it!! (since I started writing this I have un-crossed my legs 3 times! Thank goodness for this book!)

Initially I got a Dental Device for apx $400. I used it for 2 nights and the pain was so severe I was thinking of going to a oral surgeon. I stopped using the device and decided to try the exercises. I started the exercises and did them for about a week. While my jaw was not as sore with the exercises as with the device, it still was sore everyday. I then stopped the exercises and then just would let my jaw hang open in a relaxed position and gradually the discomfort lessened. In my case I think it was stress related. While I do not use the device or do the exercises anymore, I do still occasionally get the tmj but I am aware of it and try to focus on not holding my jaw rigid and keep aware of potential stress in my life. I

great book to educate myself on the TMJ issue. For anyone out there concern about the health of TMJ, please pratice advices in this book before getting an super expensive splint which might cause bite changes and further postural and emotional stress. Most splint therapy comes with a teeth adjustment and the whole thing would cause you at least $5k if braces are not suggested. At least ask some 2nd opinion before acting on it. In my case, it has been a total nightmare. the bite changes cause a posture alternation as well, very stressful. Also, try not let those dentist scare you and let you believe you have a terrible problem. Most time a good posture and life style can significantly reduce the pain. Our body including our jaw joints are amazing and able to adapt(in most cases). good luck and hope this one can be a great tool for you.

I think many people w TMJ problems will be helped greatly by this book and they should follow the advice but as a 35 year TMJ sufferer I would advise all to seek out cold laser therapy and you just may realize a miracle!! it is sometimes called low level laser therapy, but what it has done for my knee that NO ONE else could do( and for my hand )is close to miraculous. Now I am being worked on for TMJ w/ it But this book is my TMJ bible that goes w/ my cold laser therapy. It is sensible and overall excellent! I have great hope I will be well soon!! It gives exercises and all the important things you need to cope and feel better.