Has anyone found relief from TMJ issues without jumping straight to surgery or splints? My jaw’s been popping and aching for months, and honestly, I’m kinda freaked out by the idea of invasive stuff. Are things like acupuncture or physical therapy legit, or just a waste of time (and money)?
Are things like acupuncture or physical therapy legit, or just a waste of time (and money)?
I totally get the hesitation about splints and surgery—I was in the same boat when my jaw started clicking and locking up. Physical therapy actually made a huge difference for me, especially with exercises to relax the muscles around my jaw and neck. Acupuncture helped with tension too, though I was skeptical at first. It’s not a magic fix overnight, but honestly, I’d call it worth a shot before anything more invasive. Just finding a PT who really knows TMJ stuff is key.
My kiddo’s jaw started locking a couple years ago and I was honestly super nervous about surgery. We tried PT first—she learned some stretches and weird little exercises, and it really did help ease the pain.
That’s spot on. We did acupuncture too, but honestly, I couldn’t tell if it helped or if it was just relaxing for her. Not a miracle cure, but definitely not a waste for us.“Just finding a PT who really knows TMJ stuff is key.”
My jaw’s been giving me grief on and off for years now, and honestly, I get super anxious at the idea of surgery too. PT was suggested to me but I dragged my feet—felt silly doing those little exercises, but after a few weeks, things actually eased up. I tried acupuncture once, but mostly just ended up feeling sleepy. Not sure it did much for my jaw in the long run, but hey, no harm done. It’s a nerve-wracking thing to deal with, all this jaw business.
Honestly, I totally get the feeling silly part—my PT had me making these weird fish-face stretches in front of the mirror and I just kept thinking, “If anyone walks in right now, I’m never living this down.” But, weirdly, it did help a bit after a couple weeks. Haven’t tried acupuncture yet, though I’d take a nap anywhere at this point if it meant less jaw noise. Still lowkey terrified of anything involving sharp objects near my face, so I’m dragging my feet on splints. Jaw stuff is just… a whole thing.
