Do you fancy watching ASMR Mukbang videos? Does your mouth water at the sight of food influencers chowing down on large portions of seafood, pizza, and whatnot? 

This type of online content is all the rage nowadays! Whether you're on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok, you'd likely come across a few Mukbang content creators munching on a ridiculous amount of food after scrolling through your newsfeed for a couple of minutes. Sadly, if you suffer from a TMJ disorder, these videos might spark feelings of frustration, envy, and sadness. This is especially true when your symptoms prevent you from enjoying your usual foodgasmic adventures. 

You begin to wonder if this will be your reality for the next few months or years. 

“Will munching on my favorite food cause searing jaw pain forever?” 

“Is it possible to find an effective and lasting source of TMJ relief in Pleasant Hill?”

Let’s find out the answers to all your questions.

TMJ Disorders and Why They Cause Significant Pain 

TMJD, or temporomandibular joint disorders, afflict up to 12 percent of adults in America. To date, researchers have yet to identify the ultimate cause of this illness. But, several healthcare professionals associate it with botched dental jobs, cervical subluxation (neck bone misalignments), and in-born jaw malocclusions. This jaw problem causes searing jaw pain accompanied by other equally debilitating symptoms like: 

• Facial pain
• Jaw tenderness 
• Jaw locking (or hearing locking sounds when you open or close your jaw)
• Limited mouth movement 
• Searing ear pain 

Notably, these symptoms often appear and cause significant discomfort when chewing or eating. This makes it incredibly difficult for patients to cope and enjoy their usual eating habits. 

Nevertheless, finding ways to work around the situation is not virtually impossible. You can make a few diet adjustments to accommodate your cravings without compromising your already irritated jaw joints.

TMJD Eating Tips: It's Still Possible to Enjoy Food!

Take note of food products that aggravate your symptoms

Each patient has varying food triggers, so you might find it helpful to track how your jaw responds to certain products you consume. Generally speaking, TMJD patients should avoid crunchy or chewy food like chips, beef jerky, stringy meat, and popcorn. So you might want to make the necessary adjustments to your diet beginning today. 

Steer clear of fatty food items

While fatty food products give the impression of being soft and easy to chew, dieticians and TMJD specialists warn against consuming them because of their ability to set off inflammation. These can worsen your jaw pain and impede your body's innate ability to heal. So, while you wait for your TMJ to recover from the injury, you should limit your consumption of fat-laden food products such as fries, creamy sauces, and pan-fried pizza. 

Experiment with soft-food products

Soft food items like fruits and boiled veggies might seem unpalatable, especially for someone with a sophisticated taste. But rest assured that with a dash of creativity and a bit of culinary genius, you can turn "ordinary" food items like bananas, avocadoes, boiled eggs, cottage cheese, polenta grains, and mashed potatoes into delectable meals that will excite your palette.  

Keep your food bite-sized 

The last thing you want to do when you have TMJD is to force your mouth to open wide. This puts unnecessary mechanical pressure on the jaws and the joints connecting them. So, we suggest cutting your food into tiny, bite-sized portions. You can also try exploring juicing or making heartwarming soup to lessen chewing time. 

NUCCA: Your Key to Enjoying TMJ Relief in Pleasant Hill

Surely, TMJ disorders can test your patience and put you in a tough spot each time you think of binge eating on food triggers like those we mentioned above. But, you can take comfort in knowing that you can potentially help your jaw joints heal or improve with the help of a time-tested remedy: NUCCA chiropractic care. 

NUCCA is a unique upper cervical care technique that highlights the biomechanics of the uppermost neck bones and their crucial role in maintaining optimal health. It's also the go-to remedy for many people in search of a way to cope with injuries that stem from previously sustained trauma to the head and neck. Hence, if you suspect having neck bone misalignments due to apparent signs like uneven gait, unlevelled shoulders, and recurring TMJ pain, we strongly recommend giving NUCCA care a try.

You should also consider booking an appointment with a TMJ chiropractor if you’ve had the following injuries: 

• Head collision with someone during a brawl
• Head or neck trauma due to contact sports-related accidents
• Whiplash from a car or motorbike accident
• Neck injury from having too much fun at the water park, amusement park or that local pub with a crazy Mechanical Bull ride. 

NUCCA is a  gentle and highly focused approach to restoring balance in the body and improving one's posture. Find out more about how you can take advantage of this technique to achieve TMJ relief in Pleasant Hill by booking your consultation with Dr. Woolf of Woolf Spinal Care.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Woolf, call our Pleasant Hill office at 925-798-1770. You can also click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.