My TMJ Story & How I Manage it
My holistic beauty obsession began when I needed to find an alternative method to manage my TMJ pain. TMJ stands for Temporomandibular joint dysfunction. In 2014, I noticed the first symptoms. I knew something was wrong when I started to have a crunching/ clicking and popping sound in my jaw. It started to get worse, and one night I woke up out of a sleep and my jaw was locked open. I needed to seek help.
Seeking Help
I sought help through orthodontists who specialized in TMJ. They recommended I try sleeping with a retainer in attempts to reduce the clenching and tightness of my jaw, I did so, but it really wasn’t benefiting me overtime. The next step was seeking additional orthodontic help, and going through braces for the second time. The goal of the second set of braces was to realign my bite. However, I kept hearing that the next step was surgery to fix/ manage my pain.
That would require me to have the oral surgeon break my jaw and wire it back together with the braces on throughout the process. I had a consult with the oral surgeon and together, we decided that it wouldn’t be worth it, as it also wasn’t a guaranteed fix. Intuitively, I truly just knew there had to be another way, yet I didn’t know where to look as I had been researching for three years at his point. There were times when I would sit searching for hours on YouTube, listening to other’s personal experiences and using my knuckles to stimulate pressure on my joint.
Holistic Answer
In October 2020, I had finally stumbled across Gua Sha through Wild Lily Organics on Pinterest. I had no idea if it would work, but I figured what’s the worst that can happen? I’ve already tried so many other things! The brand stood out to me due to what they stand for. They are non toxic, sustainable and cruelty free small business.
It took about a week or two of consistency to notice the difference in my TMJ pain. One of the major differences I felt, was how relaxed the muscle and joint compared to how it was prior to starting the practice.
It’s now a massive part of my life, and incorporated into my daily routine. I now rarely ever have pain, of course the occasional wrong bite of food can cause some but I’ve truly noticed that I can in fact manage the pain through this amazing practice.
This is my what I do to reduce tension on the masseter muscle:
I’ve become so proud with not only the physical results, but also the emotional benefits of gua sha. I just had to share my experience with others, if it could help even one person find hope. It took so long to find something that could potentially help me. 2020 was the year I discovered this practice, the year I fully committed to my inner self, mindset and growth. I began incorporating meditation and a morning routine filled with gratitude into my life. Practicing gua sha has helped me to remember to slow down, and move with intention. The slower you glide the gua sha, the more it activates lymph drainage. It’s a beautiful release of toxins, and as I breathe throughout the practice I let go of what no longer serves me emotionally and physically. You become intuitively aware of your body and what it needs.
Products I Use
Goddess Glow Facial Oil
Dark Green Nephrite Stone
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