Whole30 and TMJ

[Jade87]

I have TMJ problems and my dentist told me to go on a gluten-free and dairy-free diet. So, I decided to take it a little bit further and try the Whole30 program.

 

After only about 2 days eating Paleo, my jaw pain was much much worse. It was bad enough that I had to take a couple of advils (I usually don't have to take anything).  When my jaw hurts like that, it makes me a bit dizzy and off balance which are not symptoms that I can live with very easily. So after only a couple of days on the diet, I went back to eating grains and dairy and my jaw felt better.

 

A month later, I tried it again. Same problem. Then I tried to go just gluten-free but still eat rice, legumes, gluten-free grains and dairy. Same problem. So it seems like my problem is gluten. But why does my jaw hurt more when I remove gluten from my diet?

 

Is it an auto-immune reaction?

 

I desperately want to go Paleo because I know that gluten and maybe other grains and dairy are the source of all the health and psychological problems I've had since I was a child (acne, pcos-like symptoms, anxiety, social anxiety, bed wetting as child etc.)

 

I feel like I finally found the problem but my body won't let me eliminate the foods that are causing my health issues. What should I do??

 

Thanks.

[Karen]

How long did you make it without gluten?  Based on what little info you shared, my guess is that you didn't give it enough time.  

[praxisproject]

It takes quite a while to get the reaction to gluten out of your system, you'll need more than a few days, for most it's at least 30 days, sometimes it can be longer. Gluten will likely give you inflammation, so your jaw may feel weird if it's reducing, or other pressures may become more noticeable.

 

Is your food more chewy without gluten? If you were eating soup, would you still have more TMJ?

 

Dizziness may be your sinuses, have you seen an ENT as well as a dentist? Gluten, dairy and sinus/jaw problems go together like eggs and bacon

[Tina R]

I see a TMJ Cranial specialist homeopath as well as a dentist orthodontist for my TMJ. Chewing meat can aggravate your jaw so it may have nothing to do with the lack of gluten. Have you heard of the Kois method. It is a dental appliance that releases the pressure on your jaw. It's a diagnostic tool so you can't use it forever but it really helped me. Good Luck

[Jade87]

Thanks for your replies,

 

Karen: I only made it 3 days without gluten. I know it's not long enough but my jaw was hurting so bad and it stopped hurting once I went back on gluten.

 

Praxisproject: I wasn't eating more chewy foods when I was doing the Whole30. I try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables but I puree them or make smoothies. TMJ problems can actually cause dizziness, balance problems and even vertigo. It can also cause Eustachian tube dysfunction which can cause you to feel dizzy and off balance.

 

Tina R: I've seen many people for my TMJ issues including osteopaths and dentists. It's the last dentist I saw who told me many of his TMJ patients get tremendous relief by eliminating gluten and dairy from their diets. It's not the meat chewing that's causing me the biggest problem, it really truly is the elimination of gluten. As soon as I stop eating gluten, the jaw pain is 10 times worse. So I'm like a heroin addict who can't go off the drug without some debilitating side effects.

 

I think I might have to eliminate gluten gradually instead of all at once. Has anyone here done this?

[praxisproject]

Reactions to gluten don't usually reduce with dosage, the inflammation occurs throughout the body, including in the gut, the brain and mucous membranes like sinuses. Some people get additional issues, like ataxia, rashes, etc. Even the swelling of gums around teeth.

 

Did you go grain and dairy free when you eliminated gluten?

[Jade87]

Praxisproject: Yes, I tried the Whole30 twice, so no gluten or other grains, no sugar, no dairy, no legumes. The last time, I only eliminated gluten but got the same reaction.

[MeadowLily]

Do you have a mouth guard for sleeping?  

[A_Whole_New_Me]

I think I might have to eliminate gluten gradually instead of all at once. Has anyone here done this?

That is how I've done all of my dietary modifications & I think it makes the most sense if you want a long-term change.  Radical diet changes can be tough on your body if you're sensitive, and there's no reason you need to put yourself through that if you have the self-control to do it gradually.

 

The first thing I did was stop eating bread, then gradually cut other sources of gluten out of my diet over the course of about a month.  You can think of it as "prep" for a Whole30, and only start Whole30 at the end of that month.

[Jade87]

Meadowlily: Yes I do.

 

A_Whole_New_Me: I think cutting out gluten gradually over the course of a month is a great idea. Do you eat 100% Paleo now?

[hobojo]

Jade87, Could some of the symptoms you were experiencing on Whole30 be stress resulting from the diets shock to our systems?  I also have TMJ, and I'm on day 5.  The last couple of days I've noticed a little tension and find myself unconsciously clinching my teeth.  I do get light headed when I've done this for a period of time.  I'm feeling a bit anxious and have not slept well the last couple nights, so I know my body is stressed and anxious.  I'm on the strict Autoimmune Protecol so I can only have meat, fat and veggies. 

Food for thought!