Stress and Jaw Pain
The stress response is the way the body reacts to environments and conditions that it perceives as dangerous or harmful. Stress manifests in different ways for different people, but one of the more common side effects of chronic stress is pain in the jaw. In fact, it’s not uncommon for people to directly associate pain in their jaw with stress, and jaw pain reminds them that it’s time for them to take some time to relax and manage their stress.
A lot of the time, when someone feels stressed out, they clench their teeth together, often unconsciously. If the stress is consistent, it doesn’t take long for the jaw joint to start to hurt and for the pain to affect the muscle that supports the jaw, the teeth, or other areas of the head, face, and neck. Of course, this pain only adds to the stress. Thankfully, there are several effective ways to reduce stress.
The first step of addressing stress is identifying the things that cause you to feel stressed. Take a moment to pause and note the things that happen that cause stress. Maybe it’s more about the time of day than an actual thing or event; that’s okay. Once you have identified your stressors, the next goal is to avoid these stressors or create a way to manage them. Many external stressors are related to time; if you feel like you don’t have enough time to do all the things you need to do, you probably feel stress. Planning ahead can help prevent this stressful feeling, and creating a realistic list of priorities and goals can help you determine what’s actually important and what doesn’t need to happen. Set boundaries for yourself and remember that you’re allowed to decline requests, and don’t be afraid to ask other people when you need help.
If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, focus on how you react to that stressor. Instead of reacting, pause for a moment and breathe, and then choose how you want to respond to the stressor. Sometimes, it’s helpful to remember that many of the things that happen around us are beyond our control, and finding comfort and beauty in smaller things can balance stress. Make a list or keep a journal of things that make you feel happy and thankful, and let anger go. A lot of people find that living a balanced lifestyle helps with stress. Spending time outdoors can have tremendous mental health benefits, and exercise helps the body create endorphins, which are brain chemicals that create a sense of elation and satisfaction. Even mild exercise is beneficial for stress-reduction, and a walk around the block at lunchtime is a great place to start.
If you can, try to sleep for eight hours each night, and maintain a consistent sleep schedule as much as you can. A balanced diet can help bring balance into the overall health, and if you have stressors you can’t avoid, relaxation techniques can help you deal with them in a more productive way. Some people like to make art, ride motorcycles, or do yoga, and other people like to make model airplanes, listen to music, or bake cakes. There’s no wrong way to relax, as long as you choose something that helps you feel calm. You may not be able to control all the stressors in your life, but you can control how you choose to respond to them. If these techniques don’t work for you and you continue to have jaw pain that your dentist has told you is caused by stress, ask your dentist for a referral to a massage therapist, chiropractor, or physical therapist who will be able to provide relief from jaw pain and pain that radiates from the jaw.