Renowned spiritual leader, Eckhart Tolle, at a convention where people were exchanging many ideas about self-improvement, was asked what he could tell the attendees that would instantly transform their lives. He said “If there is only one thing I can tell you, it is to breath. Remember to breath”.
For those of us, who for one reason or another have investigated alternative healing, you may have come across breathing as a great healer for the body, mind and soul. It is known to cure a great variety of ailments, physical, spiritual and emotional. No wonder they say when you are upset, take a deep breath and walk away – you’ll feel better.
For TMJ sufferers, breathing can do you a whole lot of good. You have to learn how to do it correctly though, and the proper technique is called diaphragmatic breathing. Just from the name, you can tell that you are supposed to use your diaphragm in the breathing process. Your diaphragm lies at the bottom of your chest, the upside down “bowl” that you feel at the last rib as you move towards your abdomen.
So what is diaphragmatic breathing?
When you breathe in and out, your diaphragm contracts and relaxes rhythmically. Using diaphragmatic breathing is different from what most of us do subconsciously. Firstly, its conscious breathing. You make up your mind to take a certain number of breaths and then listen to yourself as you so it. You’ll be breathing, but because you are actively doing diaphragmatic breathing, your abdomen will not rise and fall like it does with regular breathing. The breaths are deep and relaxed. Done correctly, you will feel the contraction and relaxation of your diaphragm.
And what does it do for Your TMJ pain?
Breathing is key to a healthy central nervous system. It relaxes the CNS, and once relaxed, it is able to operate at optimal levels. Once your central nervous system is relaxed, because all muscles are connected to it, your muscles around the jaw will benefit as well. They will relax, and as a result the pain that you suffer will diminish. And it will not take a long time too – the results are almost instant. What you need to remember is do it properly and do it consistently. Every time you start to feel the ache in your jaw, take a moment and take deep breaths. Remember that TMJ can also be caused by stress – it makes you bite on your teeth, eventually leading to jaw misalignment and TMJ. Breathing will relieve your stress and therefore you won’t bite on your teeth or have a tensing of muscles.
Breathing oxygenates the cells better too, and they are able to work more efficiently to relax tense muscles. Because diaphragmatic breathing is so targeted, you cells will oxygenate faster and tension will be released sooner.
How do you achieve proper diaphragmatic breathing?
Here’s a step by step guide:
- Sit or stand upright. Then focus your mind on your diaphragm. Breath in, feel your ribs move outwards without the rest of your body moving. The only movement will be in your ribcage and diaphragm.
- Make your breaths slow, steady and deep. Don’t cut them off mid-way. Let them go all the way to the bottom of your rib cage and then out.
- Don’t strain by taking in more breath than your chest can comfortably hold. Someone watching you should almost not be able to see what you’re doing because there is almost no change in your physical stance and appearance.
- Don’t pause between breaths. As soon as you exhale, take in another breath and let the flow be continuous. As you continue to do this, 4 or 5 breaths later, you will start to experience an inner relaxation of the muscles. Keep going until you feel comfortable enough to stop.
- Make sure that the timing of inhalation and exhalation are similar. Don’t make it complicated on yourself. No timers or anything like that. Let it be instinctive. By worrying whether or not you’re doing it correctly, you’re adding even more stress to your body, muscles are tensing and therefore you will have much more stress to clear.
- This is the not-so-easy part – make it a practice. They say that if you do something everyday for 21 days, it becomes a habit. Try and keep going like this for 21 days. Each time you remember or start to feel any kind of tension, breath and relax your muscles. Be conscious of both the breathing and the relaxation in your muscles. Listen to the pain subside in your jaw. Before you know it, it will come naturally to you.
Remember that there are many side benefits top breathing as well. You will have an overall more relaxed and therefore positive outlook. Your CNS will be relaxed, and therefore your muscles relaxed too. Your TMJ pain will be under control.
The best part about this ancient method is this – you don’t have to believe it for it to work. It’s a science, like electricity. Call it a law if you like; breathing relaxes the muscles and eases pain. It also gives you a clearer mind.
So if you’re tired of popping pills every time you have a TMJ disorder pain, breath. It’s guaranteed to work.
Are there any other TMJ exercises that work
Yes. Did you know that there is a downloadable eBook that
· Lists 30 + little know Tmj exercises that can cure your Tmj permanently in less than 8 weeks and stop any future re-occurrence
· A 3 step holistic system that uses principles that have been proven and verified to work by thousands of TMJ free men and women world wide.
