2 tips to reduce jaw pain today
Jaw pain is a nuisance and is something which I still occasionally experience. This is part of the reason why I love to help people reduce jaw pain and tension and many other types of jaw dysfunction.
A few clients have shared some of their habits with me lately which prompted this very post - their sleeping position and awake resting positions are definite contributors to their jaw discomfort and yours may be for you, too.
If you’ve been to me for a jaw therapy session - great, we’ve probably chatted about these tips already. If not, the tips shared here are so simple, free and can be implemented today.
Resting your jaw/face on your hand
In the same way that sleeping on your front with a twisted neck is no bueno, leaning on your jaw whilst at your desk or kitchen table (or wherever you’re working from) is also a fast track to unhappy muscles. Doing this is very much like clenching your teeth - the force pushed through the hand onto the jaw, and through the teeth could spark a headache (at best) or a change in position of the disc in the jaw joint (more on that disc here). Try to be mindful of these habits and adjust your posture if you realise you’re resting your jaw on you hand throughout the day.
Sleep position
I mentioned recently in an Instagram post that sleep posture is important not only for a good night’s sleep, but also for the comfortability and alignment of the jaw and body. We spend about ¼ of our lives asleep so it’s worth making sure we’re sleeping in a comfortable position.
Back sleeping is best (from a posture perspective) - and if it’s uncomfortable for you or your lower back feels unsupported, you can place a pillow under your knees to ease that. There’s also the least impact on the jaw when sleeping on your back and, as long as the neck is well supported, the spine will be happy, too.
Side sleeping is the most common position and is absolutely fine. I sleep on my sides and alternate through the night to not put too much pressure on one side of my body for too long. Be mindful of supporting your neck well, too. Ideally the neck will not only make contact with the pillow but will be supported by it. An ergonomic pillow specifically designed for side sleeping will do the trick - Ikea sells a decent one for under €30. Also, if you notice that you sleep on your hand and that is pushing on your jaw, try to change the position of your hand to one that’s more gentle on your jaw. A pillow between the knees gets you extra posture-points as this will balance the hips and pelvis and keep the spine lovely and aligned.
Front/stomach sleeping is the baddy. Not a lovable baddy that has a certain charm and everyone secretly loves; it’s a real menace for the jaw, neck and everything below. Sleeping on your stomach as an adult is something to try to train yourself out of - the neck is twisted for hours at a time, the muscles supporting the neck are put under a lot of strain, and the jaw is carrying the weight of the head which it is not designed to do. Try the side sleeping suggestions above and see how it feels. I read an article once that suggested sewing tennis balls to the front of your pyjamas - now, I’m not making that suggestion per se (bit extreme) - but if you do do it, please send me photos of said pjs so that I can rate them and your sewing skills.
Let me know how you get on if you do recognise your own habits here and try to change them. Or let me know if you’d like a chat about your sore jaw - you can book a free 15 minute phone consultation here.
Speak soon,
Lisa
