We hear it all the time, we live in a stressful world. There are a lot of stresses on most of us every single day. We have to deal with issues at work, financial issues, concern for our children, the list can go on and on. When people think of the health toll of too much stress they often think of things like heart attack, stroke or even diabetes. Few people think of stress and jaw pain.
Many people wake up in the morning with headaches or pain in their neck or jaw. This is often a sign that the stress throughout their day is actually following them into their night.
This condition can be caused by bruxism. Bruxism is a condition where you grind or clench your teeth during the night while you are asleep. Most of the time, you don't even know that yo are doing it. In some extreme cases, though, your spouse will sure know you are doing it since they will be able to hear it.
In some cases there will be no obvious sign except for an ongoing jaw pain that is particularly bad when you first wake up in the morning. If you have this problem you may want to make a visit to your dentist. Only she can tell you if you are grinding your teeth at night, she will be able to see obvious signs of deterioration.
Teeth grinding and the subsequent jaw pain can occur at any age. The ongoing pressure on your jaw, can actually cause some pretty serious issues with your teeth, jaw and mouth. In extreme cases it can lead to a painful condition referred to as TMJ.
So, if you seem to have an abnormally high incidence of earaches, toothaches or jaw pain you may be grinding your teeth during the night. If that is the case, you may want to see your dentist. He can prescribe a mouth guard that you can wear during the night when you sleep.
Another, radical, idea is to try to relax a little bit. I know, easier said than done, but have you ever really tried before? You know that TMJ and jaw pain is just the tip of a very ugly health ice berg, right?
Some people find that something as simple as a relaxing warm shower before bedtime can help them get a better night's sleep with no grinding. Others prefer to turn off the t.v. or take the cell phone out of their bedroom.
The point is, you have to find what works for you. you need to be able to relax not only so you can sleep better but so you don't have any of the health issues that go along with too much stress.
Stress and jaw pain don't necessarily go hand and hand, but it very often does. Finding out what the problem is will help you find relief that much sooner. Talk to your doctor and try to get the help you need to not only relief your jaw pain but to relief your stress too.
