As an entrepreneur, you grind away at work all day, every day. You are used to daily headaches and usually attribute them to all the hard work you are doing running your business.
What if it is something more? What if the stress from running your business is causing you to grind your teeth or clench your jaw at night?
Well, if it is the stress of owning your own business that is causing you to grind your teeth, you risk developing painful jaw disorders.
There are telltale signs that you may develop a painful jaw disorder. When you’re singing loudly in the car, does your jaw pop or click when you hit those high notes? Clicking and popping are two very common symptoms of jaw disorders like TMJ. Headaches, neck pain and earaches also make appearances as symptoms of TMJ. Most victims of TMJ do not visit the dentists and tend to suffer in silence. If I have just described your symptoms, you CAN take measures to reduce the pain you are feeling. Here is a list of 6 self-care tips for you to try:
1) Avoid food that requires a lot of chewing.
2) Avoid activities that involve intense jaw movement (this means no singing loudly!).
3) Massage the affected areas when pain is present.
4) Practice techniques for relaxing and reducing stress.
5) Apply ice packs to sooth the muscles.
If you try these techniques and they do not work, see your dentist and ask about a mouth guard. A good mouth guard can help with the pain and you won’t have to live with those headaches anymore!