TMJ disorders involve the temporomandibular joint which is located on both sides of your mouth directly below your ears. You use these joints every time you move your jaw. In fact, you use your jaw more than any other joint in your body. Every time you speak, swallow, and eat you engage your jaw joints. This equals approximately 3,000 jaw movements each day.
Whenever someone who suffers from TMJ has problems or their joints become inflamed they can often suffer from TMJ headaches. The muscles around the joint can restrict to the point it is painful to open your mouth. It is common for Carisoprodol to be used to relax the jaw joint muscle and to treat associated pain.
Anti-Inflammation Treatment
You can use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin or ibuprofen to reduce the pain caused by TMJ flare-ups. Because the pain is frequently caused by inflammation, a general pain reliever may not be sufficient. You want a pain reliever with anti-inflammatory properties. The pain can be so intensive that you may experience nausea or blurred vision. Aspirin can reduce the inflammation which will help alleviate the pain.
Muscle Relaxation
The tight muscles around the joint may also require treating. It is possible to experience “lock jaw” with extreme bouts of TMJ. Muscle relaxants can help with this situation. However, if it lasts for an extended period of time or interferes with your ability to eat, you should seek medical attention. The injection of muscle relaxant directly into the muscle of the jaw may be required in some cases.
Pain Reliever
If you still have a headache after taking the muscle relaxant, you may need to take a pain reliever. It is best to take a general pain killer that does not treat inflammation. Treating symptoms you do not have can cause or increase nausea or dizziness. You also risk irritating your stomach or developing an ulcer when you take too much pain medication.
Long-term suffering can be caused by TMJ. It makes it difficult to work and socialize. You may have difficulty sleeping or need to sleep sitting up to keep pressure off your jaw. In addition to treating flare-ups, it may be necessary to take maintenance drugs. Small doses of Carisoprodol can be used daily to reduce flare-ups so you can get on with your life. Because a tolerance to the drug can quickly build up you should take care when using Carisoprodol.
