A frustrating condition that causes all sorts of trying symptoms, TMJ disorder can make life miserable. To get through each difficult day, many people rely on medications which relax muscle tissue and reduce pain. Sadly, these pills only provide short-term relief; they also tend to come with serious side-effects that leave people in search of safer alternatives.

Medications for Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

To reduce symptoms related to TMD, patients may rely on a few different kinds of drugs, including:

Pill Bottles

  • OTC Medications – The most common drugs used to treat temporomandibular joint disorder, over-the-counter painkillers, such as Aleve, Advil and Tylenol, do a decent job of providing temporary pain relief. Unfortunately, they’re also associated with serious medical complications. The main ingredient in Tylenol, acetaminophen is the number one cause of acute liver failure in America. Additionally, ibuprofen and naproxen have been tied to gastrointestinal bleeding and heart failure.
  • Muscle Relaxers – Drugs such as Skelaxin and Flexyrl target the body’s central nervous system to relax muscle tissue. When neck and jaw muscles become sore and tight, muscle relaxers may offer some relief. Sadly, because they promote drowsiness, these drugs can make it difficult for TMD sufferers to carry out important tasks.
  • Prescription Pain Medications – Opioid pain medications, such as Percocet, Vicodin and Oxycodone, are especially effective at blunting severe pain. While useful for many serious injuries and ailments, these medications have acquired a bad reputation for promoting addiction. For this reason, they are a poor choice for treating chronic disorders, such as TMD.

Non-medicinal TMD Relief

Ultimately, OTC and RX medications do an inadequate, long-term job of relieving temporomandibular joint disorder, because they only provide limited relief. Contrarily, by providing a targeted treatment strategy, Dr. Berry is able to offer lasting, non-medicinal TMD relief. To learn more about this safe, noninvasive treatment for TMJ disorder, please call (303) 691-0267 at the TMJ Therapy & Sleep Center of Colorado in Denver today.