TMJ Tiff

Even though I haven't found a cure for my chronic pain disorder, there have been some products that have helped calm me down and relieve my muscle spasms.  I'm allergic to opiates, which is almost in all the pain medications, and just have to find more natural ways to find relief.  I wanted to share some of my top pain and stress relief products and hope it provides some relief in your life.  Take some time for self-care, even if it's just for 5 minutes!   Foam Roller my favorite pain relief product for muscle spasms they call it the "poor person's massage" cause all you need is this roller and yourself helps relieve the severe muscle spasms in my shoulder blade  here's a link about the benefits of foam rolling: http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/what-is-a-foam-roller-how-do-i-use-it-and-why-does-it-hurt this youtube video below of thoraic spine mobilization has helped me a lot, and I do think it can benefit TMJ disorder sufferers who hav

Woo!  Can't believe I clicked the orange "publish" button yesterday!  I'm going to try to get in the groove of blogging by simply sharing the things I am grateful for each day.  My college roommate, Peggy, and I had this inside joke called "grandmother willow's tree" (my lamp), and I would try to write down what I appreciated about my day next to my sacred lamp and IKEA rats, Moe & Joe.  Our inside jokes are pretty crazy, but I grateful that I got to spend my college days living with someone who understood my nutty humor!  Grandmother Willow's Tree:  April 3, 2014 friends that are supportive and encouraging of this blog  seeing Gary under the desk at work  less painful work day Leon bought me lunch  Watching Gary do the "cocoa puff" dance with Leon hugging & kissing Gary when he's half awake  Project Motivate study hall seeing my mentee & learning about the rock process watching Thuan's fierce dance  hearing

     It's been almost two years since I've written in this chronic pain self-help blog.  A lot of things have changed in my body and mind since my very first blog post.  I hope I can do my best to catch up on those two years with you all.  Some close friends know that I've been constantly debating on continuing this blog due to topics that can be overwhelmingly emotional.  When I'm feeling well enough to write, sometimes I think that it's better to enjoy the moment and not write than to have to relive & reflect on painful moments that the writing process calls for.  And sometimes when I muster up the courage to finally write, I end up feeling insecure and think of misinterpretations people may have and just end up not posting anything.  I think I am at a place where I am more comfortable with myself and my journey.  I truly hope that this blog will bring comfort, love, hope, and understanding to people who suffer from chronic pain, mental health, or any life str