Jaw clenching in momma!

[GranoLLLy-girl]

Help. I must grind my teeth and clench my jaw in my sleep.
It is getting SO bad that I have horrible headaches throughout the day, and am actually sick to my stomach most of the time.
I made an appt. with my dentist for a bite guard to sleep in, but can anyone suggest ANYTHING that will help in the meantime?
Either something to reduce stress that is over-the-counter, or herbal or whatever. I eat pretty well and am a marathon runner, so exercise and diet are not really an issue. But my life is pretty intense.
Please help, I feel like my quality of life is being compromised and I am having a really hard time dealing with the constant pain in my jaw, my head, my neck and my stomach.

[<<>>]

I have no advice, sorry, I hope you figure it out...

[ima2simcha]

I clench my jaw and grind my teeth at night also - though I didn't realize I did that until someone pointed it out to me. I am actually better now - my daughter sleeps through the night (mostly) which helps. I have a bite guard which I don't use all the time though I probably should. I take calms or calms forte - one of the hyland homeopathic remedies (you can find it in the natural food sections at most grocery stores here...)at night and I take extra calcium before bed too. I hope that helps.

Emey

[GranoLLLy-girl]

Thanks--I'll try that. I actually have a homeopathic doc as our primary healthcare dr., but I just haven't had time to contact him.
Extra calcium, eh? I'll have to try that, too.
I know that this is not the most stress I've ever had in my life, so maybe there is something physiological going on--thanks so much.

[bluets]

i just read that this sort of thing is linked to a magnesium deficiency, as is restless legs. perhaps you need to increase your magnesium intake.

[QueeTheBean]

I am a jaw clencher, too. I didn't notice it until my dentist told me that my teeth were being affected. I didn't really believe it until I started doing the Hypnobirth tapes and became aware of how tight my jaw was when I was trying to relax.

I just want to warn you: I wear a bit guard now at night, and I guess it helps protect my teeth---but it doesn't stop the clenching. My jaw still aches & I still clench during the day.

Also--I tried the magnesium & it had some very unpleasant side effects that kept me running to the bathroom wayyyyy too often. That stopped as soon as I stoppped the magnesium. So, maybe you'll want to start out on a low dosage til you know how it will affect you.

Good luck--I totally relate.

[soladeo]

I have had TMJ since high school, and I've found that grinding my teeth and clenching are worse under stress. DUH.

Anyway, the guard will help against grinding, which is important to try to stop since it can mess up your teeth. I have one tooth that was slowly migrating inward until I got the mouth guard. But, yes, it won't stop the clenching.

Your practioner can probably help more than I can, but reducing stress has got to be a priority. I know it's hard. We all carry stress in different ways- stomach, neck, jaw, and your body is telling you to find ways to relax.

It's possible you're not getting restorative sleep, which gives you a double whammy--you're grinding/clenching at night and you're body is not recovering from the day, which makes the next day difficult and painful.

Stretching before bed is very helpful. Go online and look for neck stretches. Clenching and grinding affect the muscles in your head and neck, sometimes all the way down your back. I know of some stretches, but could probably not describe them in a way that will help. I have a stress relief yoga video that I take time out to do after the kidlet is in bed. I had to sit DH down and make it clear how important it was that I stretch every day.

Breathing exercises are VERY helpful too. I like the one that Dr. Weil talks about in his book "8 Weeks to Optimum Health"--you breath in the universe to all points of your body. I do this one before I go to bed and find it very conducive to good sleep.

You have to find the stress relievers that work for you, and I'm sure your prac. can help you.
Good luck!!

[GranoLLLy-girl]

These are all very helpful ideas. THANK YOU!
I have an intense life--as I admit--but I like to fool myself that it's not that intense. LOL. Don't we usually convince ourselves otherwise (in other words, don't we usually tend to think things are worse than they actually are? LOL..)
Ok, I'll look into magnesium (spelling?), and stretching before bed--and check out some yoga information.
I do admit that deep breathing is something that I haven't done in a while and probably should.
Thanks again everyone--I will search for more information on all suggestions offered!

[MommyToElla]

Wow.. it's funny, I was searching on the boards for this very subject and I think your post is almost exactly what I'm going through right now. I've always had headaches - except when I was pregnant (it was wonderful), but I've been having them every day for the last month and now they're accompanied by ear/jaw pain and pain behind my eye. I worry so much that something is wrong with me that I'm just always stressed. To add to all that, I haven't had a full night's sleep since well before my 11 month old was born. I'm so worn down!! I feel like I can't catch up. I'm also going for a consultation for a night guard, since my dr. said she thinks what I'm describing sounds like tmj (and there are signs of clenching on my teeth).

My chiropractor told me that all nursing women should up their calcium and magnesium intake, so it's funny that this was mentioned here too.. maybe I should try it.

Hopefully we both find some relief... and soon.

[wahoowhippets]

I have TMJ syndrome. Had one year of physical therapy for it that helped immensly (sp?). Also had braces done on my teeth to correct my bite and that helped as well. When I was having P.T. they taught me lots of stretches and strengthening excersises that really helped. Also, keeping head and neck warm and not allowing those muscles to get chilled (cold would trigger some of my pain and still does on occasion.). Good luck, I know how debilitating it can be!

[JaneS]

Magnesium is my first thought too... but it's very important to get a form that is easily absorbed by the body. If not, the excess is flushed out through the bowel and you get the runs without any benefit.

I like Natural Calm, I can take higher doses and notice no bowel changes whatsoever:
http://www.naturalcalm.net/home.shtml

Most women are shown to be Mag. deficient.

I never get TMJ now, I don't clench and my jaw doesn't pop anymore.

[moss]

magnesium deficiency makes sense

i've been grinding my teeth in my sleep a lot lately. i was shown some facial accupressure points that have been helping when i remember to do them.
i cant find a decent pic online, so i'll try to describe the points

1. inner eyebrow ridge by nose. press up
2. under the eyes push down on the sinuses
3. if you feel along your cheekbones, there's a notch on the underside where your thumbs will fit easily. push up there
   
4. this one is kind of weird, but it works well. stick your fingers inside your mouth and push up on your gums by your rear molars

probably as clear as mud without a diagram.

[GEMINI69]

I have the Natural Calm and it has personally never done anything for my teeth clenching. I have had this problem many times over the years due to a build up of stress. The cure for me has always been the same- Pantothenic Acid (B5), it takes maybe two weeks to build up in your system but you can stop taking it until you need it again and I have found that it usually lasts months.

Donnie- fully attached Mommy to MSMF born all natural 01-20-2005

[ChristinaLucia]

Thanks - I was looking for information on this and I knew you mommas could help. I was thinking about getting botox to stop my nighttime grinding - but I'm nursing and don't want to stop and certainly don't want to expose DD to anything. I have a nightguard - which has helped stopped the wear on my teeth - but I am worried about TMJ - and I'm sure the worrying is keeping the vicious cycle going.

[Shiloh]

chiropracters can help so can cranial sacral (sp?) therapists.
I think people who clench just hold their life stress there, like people who have bad backs, sore tummies KWIM? I can be so relaxed and then notice I am clenching my jaw so tight its not funny.

I wonder if hypnotherapy or accupuncture would help.
I find my mouth piece makes it worse for me as I clench on that harder...

but since I had my jaw surgically realigned I have not had any TMJ issues, but I still do clench but not grind, pop, snap, lock or the headaches.

[BellinghamCrunchie]

Don't know if this helps, but I clench my jaw/grind my teeth at night when its allergy season, and not at any other time, really. So controlling my allergies controls the clenching.

My dentist would probably throw a fit, but I made my own nightguard by taking one of those rubber things you buy for your kid when they are playing football (you dip it in boiling water then stick it in your mouth and close your teeth on it and it molds to fit your mouth). I cut off all the extra rubber with scissors so it was comfortable.

[Shiloh]

I think they are so similiar except for the price tag, since I have had so many surgeries I often did those as I am not paying a couple hundred every few months while I was in motion with my teeth