Completing The Wellness Circle

No, you are very wrong. The nervous system runs the body, which is made up of hundreds of nerves carrying messages to and from the brain to every cell in the body. The 'super highway' of information from the brain to the body is the spinal cord, which is protected by vertebra. Imagine those vertebra as moving parts, because they are. Put the top of a straw in one fist then cover the bottom of the straw with your other fist. Imagine your fist as the vertebra. Now distort your fists by twisting one one way and the other another, causing the straw to bend or even twist. Imagine fluid going thru that straw as "information". Information can mean involuntary information like "lungs.... breathe, heart...beat." If there is interference, the information can be distorted or can't travel as accurate as it would if the vertebra were aligned. If your t6 vertebra is subluxated this can cause information to your galbladder to get distorted. The brain is sending messages to the galbladder and the cells that are to work properly aren't getting the information as intended, or vice versa. A subluxation can be a serious problem. It can cause pain, and over time, disease. When you understand that the nervous system runs everything, your cells, your adrenal glands, and organs, you understand that keeping that nervous system protected from damage is a health issue. A properly aligned spine CAN AND DOES make a person healthier.

magnesium may also help, but only if the TMJ stems from a muscular disorder. Many times TMJ is actually a neuro-mechanical disorder.

Chiropractic can provide temporary relief from TMJ, but it does not deal with the underlying problem. Anyone suffering from TMJ and chronic upper back and neck muscle spasms and pain should consider a Magnesium Deficiency as the cause. Magnesium deficiency is one of the most common and underdiagnosed problems resulting in a host of illnesses including Muscle cramps, constipation, high blood pressure, heart attack, depression, obesity, diabetes, etc. Since it is a co-factor in over 300 chemical processes in the body, it's deficiency wreaks havoc on all body systems, but neck, back and jaw muscles seem to be particularly susceptible. Recommended Reading: The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean mgwater.com http://www.livestrong.com/article/466599-does-magnesium-help-tmj/

I struggled with TMJ and a host of severe symptoms related to it for decades. I wore a splint, fitted by a dentist. I had chiropractic adjustments to my spine. I had countless massage treatments. I not only practiced yoga, but ended up teaching it for many years (back when yoga was still considered a little weird . . . how times have changed!). While I did get some relief from stretching and yoga, the symptoms always returned if I let up from doing yoga for more than a day or two. What finally resolved the problem completely and brought really lasting relief (I haven't done yoga for over 8 years now) was learning how to inhabit my body with the same alignment we all discover as toddlers. This turns out to not only be the answer for TMJ sufferers, but for many aches, pains and other health conditions. This video, while not about TMJ directly, demonstrate the principles of natural alignment that resolved my TMJ, and other chronic pain issues, once and for all. While not a quick fix (there is no such thing!) this really works! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsY7y_BoVkk

When I started seeing a chiropractor in '01, one of the things he found right away was TMJ. I had always had tension in my jaw from years of grinding my teeth in my sleep, not to mention I was training as a singer then, and had permanent jaw discomfort despite all the training and exercises I'd been given to loosen those muscles. I hadn't thought to mention the TMJ, though, since I was under the (misinformed) impression that he could only work on my back and knee problems. Then he started doing an Activator Protocol, using a tool that delivers light force to the joint before the surrounding muscles have a chance to seize up. Within a couple months, my jaw went from clicking and cracking every day, many times a day, to barely tensing at all. Where people get tripped up with chiropractic is their thought process that one visit will be enough. You can't eat right one day and lose 20 pounds, you can't work out 30 minutes one day and have marvelous muscle tone. Chiropractic needs to be consistent before you notice significant progress, but I've found that it's ultimately worth it.