There is much debate about the causes of TMJ. Injury can cause pain in the jaw region, but more often it appears out of nowhere, leading the patient to suspect that something terrible is going on inside their head. No, TMJ is not a harbinger of serious illness. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that figuring out what to do is often a complex, time-consuming series of visits to a doctor or dentist, involving tests, tests and more tests. In the United States, about three-fourths of Americans may experience TMJ or some of its symptoms at some point in their lives, most for a minor period. Of those, up to ten percent may have headaches, pain, or ringing in the ears so debilitating that they need to visit a doctor. That’s when things can get expensive.

Help for Your TMJ

If you need to visit a doctor for TMJ issues, the first order of business will be an extensive physical examination and a discussion about your behaviors. Because the most common issue for TMJ sufferers is pain, the doctor likely will prescribe medication to ease it.

Unfortunately, some people can’t take pain medication. They may have an issue with prior drug or alcohol addiction and are worried that they will relapse if exposed to even small amounts of medication. Or they may harbor religious objections or social issues that prohibit the use of medication. That leaves them with other choices.

Here are three potential non-drug treatments that may help TMJ: