Do you usually kick off your day with a cup of caffeinated beverage such as coffee or tea? However, do you notice increased jaw pain every time you indulge in a cup (or more) of your go-to hot beverage? Are you scared that the tingling, numbing, or aching sensation in your jaws will worsen if you don’t take action? 

Let’s help you better understand how caffeine influences TMJ pain. Furthermore, you might also find it enlightening to learn more about the best source of natural and holistic TMJ relief.

Getting to Know the Cause of Your Jaw Pain

TMJ is a disorder that affects the joints in your jaw. It can cause headaches and facial pain, or even muscle spasms if you have it bad enough. It often gets misdiagnosed because the symptoms are vague. Many patients also mistake TMJ disorders for other conditions, such as anxiety or stress-related headaches. Studies note that many things can set off TMJ pain besides teeth grinding or bruxism. A few examples of these triggers include the following: 

• Trauma to your face or neck from an accident or injury
• Stress caused by factors such as mental illness or dental procedures like braces
• Poor posture due to using computers all day long without taking breaks

Caffeine: A Friend or A Foe?

The caffeine in coffee, tea, and soda can be a friend to some people but an enemy to others. In most cases, it works as a stimulant that can impact several body parts like your brain, muscles, gut, and nerves. If you have a TMJ disorder, the caffeine will likely worsen your pain by increasing the frequency and intensity of muscle spasms in your jaw. This can put excess pressure on your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and make it harder to do simple things like speaking to the person next to you, chewing food, and opening and closing your mouth. As a result, you might find it helpful to lessen caffeine consumption. Here are a few tips you can follow:

• Explore decaffeinated versions of your favorite morning drink. 
• You can also opt for products with lower levels of caffeine, like white and green tea. 
• Cut back on your caffeine intake gradually to help your body ease into your new habits.
• If reducing caffeine consumption isn't possible due to personal preferences or other reasons (such as needing it for work), consider drinking more water.
• If you’re after the stimulating effects of caffeine, why not try eating more fruits and vegetables? These contain natural chemicals that can help reduce pain and boost overall health.

Lasting TMJ Relief is Possible: Take The First Step Today!

There you have it - the relationship between TMJ pain and caffeine intake. Besides making necessary adjustments to your coffee, soda, or tea drinking habits, you might also find it helpful to seek a lasting source of TMJ relief: upper cervical chiropractic care. This technique works so well because it restores the alignment of the atlas and axis - the uppermost bones in your neck.Try to recall if you’ve had injuries that hurt your neck and head. Even if your neck or head trauma happened several decades or years ago, you likely failed to address neck bone misalignments - one of the leading contributors to TMJ disorders.  Accidents from skiing, ice skating, playing contact sports, riding a bike, or even boarding a crazy rollercoaster train can cause ligament or tissue tears along the neck and affect the placement of your upper neck bones. Physical abuse is also a key factor you should also look into to decide whether you should consider calling an upper cervical doctor for help.  Find out if you have misaligned neck bones with the help of an upper cervical chiropractic doctor in your city. The sooner you can get your neck assessed, the quicker you can help ease your body into recovering and restoring your balance. Use our Find-a-Doctor tool to find the contact details of a nearby practice in your location.

to schedule a consultation today.