Voice training and TMJ?

[Emileeeee]

I ended up with a TMJ issue recently and it seems to coincide with using the girl voice more than usual. I can't really pinpoint a cause of it, so I'm wondering if perhaps the two could be related. Is it possible that I caused this by practicing with the voice too much?

[Orchid]

I'm really happy this topic came up.

I too have been diagnosed with tmj. I played a lot of violin, and my posture wasn't the best, and over time, along with my crowded wisdom teeth moving it out of place, I have to fix it with a splint.

I want to say that there are so many factors that can lead to tmj- straining your throat, back of mouth, and tongue when trying to speak in a higher register probably exacerbates your symptoms, but it might not be the core problem. The pain is reversible, though, and as well you should be able to keep speaking at your desired tone.

It could be because it's hard to consciously and consistently relax your muscles, which then produces strain. It could be because there might be a slight misalignment with your bite. How far are you into the diagnosis?

[kwala]

I agree with the above post.  As a wind player I've had mild TMJ off and on for about ten years.  I have to remember to consciously relax my embouchure (shape of the mouth, teeth, and jaw) when playing.  Being apprehensive about your voice could be causing you to add jaw tension in a somewhat similar way.  Another very common cause is teeth clenching or grinding at night while sleeping.  If that is something you do, you might consider wearing a protective guard at night.  I have found that the cheaper, thinner ones work better than the larger, more expensive ones.  Hope you can find a solution, whatever the cause may be.

[Emileeeee]

I'm not a wind player, but I was a brass player for about 20 years in my youth, so I don't know if that could be part of it. I do apparently have a bit of a misalignment. When I had the x-rays done, they had to manually adjust my alignment because they kept telling me to do it and I didn't know it was off. I do have horrible posture though. I have a night guard incoming to help alleviate it. I think being tense when using my voice in public could be part of the issue. I'm not very confident with it, so I probably tighten up more trying to improve the quality. This week has been filled with updating documentation for the name change, so I've been out and about significantly more than usual.

[Orchid]

It's good you caught it now rather than later!

A splint/night guard should do you a lot of good. Sometimes we tense up at night when we can't really do anything about it, and then in the day time when you're using your female voice your mouth/neck has already been strained, so when you do something that requires extra thought and control, you will have pain or discomfort.

That night guard should put your bite into proper alignment.

Best wishes