Are There Any Natural Pain Relievers or Muscle Relaxers ?
The first line of treatment TMJ suffers get from their dentist or medical doctor is likely to be anti-inflammatories and or muscle relaxers. For those suffering from a mild, first time episode with no real underlying joint or muscle issues, this can be a reasonable approach. Often times the pain is coming from tight or spastic muscles and an inflamed joint. However, many people either can't take certain medications (aspirin and other non-steroidal medications cause stomach discomfort and bleeding, muscle relaxers can impair ones ability to work or drive) or really aren't interested in the side effects. One of the most common statements I hear in our office about medication is "I don't like the way it makes me feel". I think most of us understand that sensation.
By intention and license we don't prescribe medications. However that doesn't mean there aren't some natural things you can do with little to no side effects to relieve swelling, pain and spasm!
Heat or Ice ?
The least toxic Natural Pain Reliever and Muscle Relaxer isn't even something you swallow. People have been using some version of hot and cold therapy for thousands of years to good effect, and it is even backed up by science! Usually the biggest question is which one should I use, followed by how long and how often? Conventional thought is to use ice with an injury and heat with a chronic condition or after the first 48-72 hours after an injury. This often doesn't seem to fit into a nice little formula for TMJ sufferers. Probably because TMJ issues don't typically start abruptly from an injury (other than post dental work) and often develop over several days to even weeks. So what to do?
The Short Answer: Just pick one and try it. The Long Answer: Just pick one and try it, if it isn't helping or seems to be making things worse after several applications, switch to the other one ! If that continues to aggravate or doesn't help after several different applications, discontinue. The Safest Answer: Start with ice it typically doesn't make things worse, while heat can sometimes aggravate. The Exception To The Rule: If the joint is red or very warm to the touch, or if you are having jaw pain after a recent direct trauma like a car accident, punch in the face or sports injury, don't use heat ! Put some ice on it and go see your medical doctor or urgent care center. When a TMJ feels excessively warm to the touch and or swollen especially after a recent injury it may represent a fracture or dislocation that needs immediate medical attention.
Ice: Use gel packs or even frozen peas with a thin towel over them placed over the painful joint for 10-15 minutes. Remove for 30-45 minutes then repeat again several times. If it helps, keep it up as long as you need to.
Heat: Soak one (or two) wash clothes in really hot tap water, ring out and press directly onto your skin over the painful joint. Leave on until you feel the wash clothes cool. Repeat several times as instructed like the ice. Alternatively you could use a "bed buddy" heated in the microwave or a hot water bottle. In this case use the thin towel covering to avoid a burn, and make sure you don't leave it on longer than 15 minutes before removing for 30-45 minutes.
Alternate: Unlike medications, you can mix these up! Try heat one time and then ice the next. Sometimes the push pull effect can be better than either heat or ice used in isolation.
Nutrition Based Muscle Relaxers
Baby Ellie here doesn't appear to need anything to relax, but if you are dealing with a lot of muscle spasm around your jaw, and or you grind your teeth at night, targeted nutrition might be very helpful. The safest, least toxic and in my opinion best option for muscle issues is Magnesium. Magnesium is what is considered rate limiting and is involved in over 300 different chemical reactions in the body. Magnesium has been found to be helpful in people suffering from tension and migraine headaches. This is important to TMJ sufferers as the nerves that are responsible for migraine and tension headaches can also be involved in TMJ issues. The RDA for Magnesium in Men is 400mg per day and about 300mg per day for women. If you are dealing with Bruxism (night grinding) try taking your magnesium in the evening, that may help. Typically magnesium has very few side effects, the most common would be that of a loose stool. For that reason I recommend getting a 100mg supplement and starting with four a day for men three for women taken half in the morning and half in the evening (unless dealing with bruxism). If you have a loose stool the next day reduce your intake by 100mg. Magnesium-glycinate is the most absorbable and least likely to cause bowel issues. If you are on a lot of different medications or dealing with a chronic neurologic disease (Parkinson's, Myasthenia Gravis) or a weak heart, run it by your pharmacist or MD first. Magnesium is naturally found in foods and generally well tolerated by most people. If you are taking antibiotics or thyroid medication the timing of when you take it may be important. When in doubt check with your MD or pharmacist. In our clinic we use a product that combines magnesium with two herbs, passiflora and valerian root. The combination of these three is excellent for pain reduction and muscle relaxation. While passiflora and valerian are generally well tolerated they are herbs that can exert an effect on other medications and health conditions and are best used under health care supervision.
Nutrition Based Anti-inflammatories
One of the most researched natural anti-inflammatories in the market today is essential fatty acids (EFA's). These are fats that your body needs to survive and thrive, but can't manufacture on it's own. It has to be consumed. The most common form these take as a supplement is Omega 3's (EPA/DHA) found in Fish Oil. Fatty Acids make up the membrane of every cell in your body. What has been discovered is that these EFA's inhibit an enzyme in the cells (COX) that produce a prostaglandin that sparks the inflammation reaction. This is similar to what things like aspirin and other non-steroidal medications do, but without the harmful side-effects! The amount you would need is between 2000-2500mg per day of EPA/DHA. Some fish oil supplement companies may list total amount of fish oil on the front of the body per serving, but it is important to note the amount of EPA/DHA, that is the one you need to make sure you are getting enough of. This should be broken out on the back of the bottle under ingredients. Some supplement companies include Omega 6's in their product. This is not necessary and actually can increase inflammation. Be prepared to be taking 6-8 capsules a day to get this amount, each capsule is usually around 300-350 mg of fish oil. The vast majority of people tolerate this fine. It is possible in the beginning that it may give you a "fishy" burp. Usually this tapers off after you have been taking them for awhile. In addition some people have had a loose stool following starting to take fish oil. You can keep the supplement bottle in the refrigerator and this may reduce stomach issues as it possibly takes longer for the supplement to breakdown so it gets a little farther into your digestive tract before being metabolized. It is also recommended to divide the doses into two or three and potentially take them with a meal to reduce the gastro effects.
Fish Oil does have a mild blood thinning effect. This is typically a good thing and may explain why some studies show it benefits the cardiovascular system. However if you are on a blood thinner you would want to consult with your MD before starting on fish oil. Also, if you have an increase in nose bleeds you may need to back down. Finally, if you are going in for dental work or elective surgery stop taking Fish Oil a week or so prior to the procedure.
In general Fish Oil is a well tolerated, effective alternative to over the counter and prescribed anti-inflammatory medication with much less side effects and risk of death. Significant benefits in inflammation reduction is seen by four weeks. Being on a sufficient amount is very important (2000mg per day) to see results.
If you have any questions on these natural alternatives to medications, don't hesitate to contact me. I would be happy to help if I can.
Yours in Health,
Doug Williams, D.C.
TMJ-Relief Center at Care Chiropractic
134 Executive Drive #3
Lafayette, Indiana
47905
(765) 448-6489
