The TMJ Healing Plan: Ten Steps to Relieving Headaches, Neck Pain and Jaw Disorders

The TMJ Healing Plan will teach readers to relieve their pain through simple retraining of tongue use, posture, and exercise techniques. Through this 10-step process endorsed by physical therapists, dentists, and head-and-neck-pain specialists, TMJ pain can be eliminated. Temporomandibular joint disorders are shockingly common, affecting 1 in 25 people. From dental splints ($450) to surgery ($100,000+), sufferers have invested enormous amounts of time and energy to alleviate their pain. Cynthia Peterson provides tips on posture, placement of your tongue, and simple exercises that will reduce, relieve and eliminate TMJ problems. She first describes the temporomandibular joint, the amount of work it does, why it can be stressed, and how it is related to your neck, back and head. There is then a discussion of various conditions that stem from TMJ dysfunction. Then the 10 steps to healing begin: Use and Abuse of Your Jaw: How to Lighten the Load, The Power of Posture: Learn to Sit and Sleep Well, Tongue Training: Swallow Correctly, Teeth Apart, Breathing Well, How to Care for Your Muscles, The Benefits of Stress Reduction and Aerobic Exercise, Eating and Drinking Well, Special Exercises for the Neck, Medical Care and Problem Solving. Each section is illustrated with photos and/or line drawings to help the reader better understand the musculature and achieve success with the postures, positions and exercises. There is a substantial resource section at the end of the book.