Posture and sitting at desk with TMJD - TMJ Disorder -TemporoMandibular Joint Message Board

blahblah · 07-30-2007, 01:05 PM

Hi -

Is anyone here able to directly connect your TMJD pain/spasms/headaches etc to your occupation and or how you sit?

Reason I ask is quite often I feel reasonably good all weekend long - however I have a desk job and within an hour or two of being at work I begin to feel pain. With my new splint this has substantially decreased, but recently I am feeling pain again even with splint in. My splint does not need to be adjusted either. I sit at a computer all day and try to sit up, not push my jaw out, slouch etc.

Anyone else notice this? I also take frequent breaks, roll my head around to alleviate pressure in my neck, massage my jaw etc.

jim1971 · 07-30-2007, 01:23 PM

Yep, usually by afternoon with me. Weekends where i relax outside etc. i dont seem to have as much trouble. Hard to say though. I am actually thinking of changing jobs so i dont have to concentrate intently at a computer screen and a job with less overall stress.

blahblah · 07-30-2007, 01:27 PM

It sure would be interesting to do a poll of the occupations of TMJD sufferers and see if any of it can be connected.

pipdog · 07-31-2007, 01:02 AM

I've been wondering the same thing myself. I mean I don't think our bodies were designed to be sitting immobile looking at a screen 7 - 8 hours a day we're hunter / gatherers after all!

My understanding is that is your bite is off facial muscle overcompensate and go into spasm causing pain and as all the muscles are connected to each other this pain can extend down into the neck and shoulders. First I had the pain in my face then it started to go down so I see a clear cause and effect sequence.

Physiotherapy was really helpful to get my neck sorted but after a while the pain/stiffness came back. I told my dentist this and he wasn't surprised as the root of the problem hadn't been addressed so I'm starting splint therapy

kkgirl · 07-31-2007, 02:02 PM

Yes I definately think the way I sit at the computer has aggravated and or caused my tmj problem...
i have horrible posture at the computer (shoulders hunched, head forward)