TMJ disorders come with a myriad of complications and these range from ear ringing, jaw pain, headaches to severe back pain. While back pain is often mentioned, it is not widely discussed despite the fact that TMJ can bring about chronic low back pain. Since this bone is located in the facial area, it’s easy to assume that no back pain may arise from the disorder. The fact of the matter is that not only does it affect the upper back but the lower back as well. In fact, many people have been diagnosed with TMJ disorder not because the initial symptoms were had bad headaches or misaligned teeth but because of chronic low back pain.
There are many causes for TMJ and poor posture is one of the most prominent. It is said that sitting is one of the worst things that we can do to our backs. This is because it applies a lot of pressure on your back especially the lower back area. If you thought that the spine was straight, it actually isn’t and it is instead C shaped. If you look at a skeleton you will realize this and just by running your hand through the back you can identify the bulge in the middle.
When we sit, we tend to slump and this puts on undue pressure on the back. When you slump forward, you are slowly but surely shoving your jaw forward and this could lead to a misalignment that moves the lower jaw in front of the upper jaw.
What Can You Do About It?
Well one of the best ways to ease on the chronic low back pain is to first identify the cause of the back pain. As we have prominently mentioned this is often due to bad posture. Improving on your posture therefore goes without saying. For the longest time, we were taught to sit with backs straight but as research shows, this position actually puts on more pressure to your lower back area than slouching does. The most fitting sitting position is resting back to about 130 degrees. This position was shown to apply the least amount of pressure on your lower back area and therefore can help relieve chronic low back pain. When you try out this position, you actually realize that you have less weight exerted on your lower back.
Besides posture, you might also want to consider investing in a good mattress and comfortable chair and desk as well.
Back Pain Treatment
Treating back pain takes time and a series of treatment options. The first and easiest way to get rid of your back pain is to take painkillers. These help in numbing the pain and could give temporary relief. Another way to treat chronic low back pain is by using lumber back supports. These provide your back with the support it needs and relieve pain. A chiropractor could also help realign your disks with a series of stretches and exercises.
There is no quick fix to low back pain relief but dealing with the cause of the pain can help your chiropractor to identify the ideal back pain treatment for you. To learn more on how you can strengthen your back follow this link. This program focuses on how 10 simple exercises will instantly restore balance to your posture making you physically stronger, mentally sharper and achieve peak performance.