Feel like I lost my life to bruxism.

For some unknown reason I developed bruxism 5 years ago. I suspect it was a side effect from some anxiety medication, that I took for about a month. Whatever it was, it made my depression worse. I pretty much gave up on medication after that. I mean I was pretty much fine without medication for 21 years, or so, why bother, when it only made me feel worse? (My ex BF's mother insisted I try something for my anxiety. I wish I was strong enough to say no. I could be perfectly fine now.)

Fast forward to today, and I suffer from horrible TMJ(TMD) symptoms, and to think it's only gonna get worse. I can't stop clenching in my sleep for the life of me, and I do it so freaking hard it's unbelievable. It's a miracle I haven't broken any teeth, and/or my jaw.

Everything I tried seems so pointless, and is costing me, and my family money we don't really have.

-I tried a generic mouth guard. It's too bulky, and doesn't fit right. (Guards don't stop clenching anyways.)

-I tried magnesium powder, that you mix in water before bed. Only experienced the so called relaxing affect once, and could barely think the next day.

-I tried a hypnosis recording for bruxism on the internet for 21+ days. No results from that. >_>
(I hope personal hypnosis is better.)

- Saw my doctor, he said there was nothing he could do.

-I got a biofeedback headband on internet, no sufficient improvement from that. (Maybe I'm just too impatient. I only had the device for a couple months now, and my clenching doesn't want to go without a fight.)

Initially I experienced a 71% reduction in clenching. Of course it didn't help that the device was losing skin contact every other day on average. I got that straightened out about a month later, and felt like I was starting over. I don't really know how much I improved, since I turned up the sensitivity. (I can't really use my baseline measurements as a guide anymore.)

I feel like my mind is resisting sometimes, because I either fall sleep without the headband, or I take it off in my sleep due to sweating. I definitely notice a difference when I sleep without it. (There's more pressure on my teeth, and more jaw pain.) It's just kinda discouraging when my numbers haven't really changed. (Clench count, and amount of clenching.) And the trade off is lighter sleep, for the little bit of relief I gotten.

These are the what if in mind. I'm beginning to think they are right. I always did have bad luck. :(

-What if I can never stop clenching with the aid of my biofeedback device.

-What if a dentist made guard does nothing for me. I'm a clencher, not a grinder after all.
(Grind Relief guard seems the most promising as far as these things go, but I have a slight overbite, so I'm not sure if it will work for me. I got no answer from the company. )

-What if I can't be hypnotized by a professional, and I lose tons of money in the process of trying to be.

-What if I decide to go down the botox route, only having to eventually stop having it done, cause it causes your muscles to deteriorate. (Oh what a tease a year or two of freedom would be.)

-What if I can't construct a safe biofeedback taste bud method device. (There not available yet, and I don't if they will ever be.)

-What if nothing else ever comes out that could eliminate this.

Oh and what makes matters worse is the bio feedback didn't work at all last night or I just took it took off. I can't remember if I was wearing or not. And who knew getting up to brush my teeth could ruin my ability to sleep well the entire night, ugh.

Hi, I have no experience with this myself, but I am an avid Googler because I want to help. Here is one sufferer's advice:

Warm Washcloth

This might seem a little too simple, but this is my go-to whenever I'm having pain. All you have to do is soak a washcloth in warm to hot water, depending on the temperature you can handle. Ring the towel out and place it on your jaw for 15-20 minutes before going to bed. This will help relax the jaw muscles and reduce the tension. You can repeat this as often as you'd like, even doing it while studying, reading or taking a bath.

Hot Bath

If you clench while you're sleeping, than taking a warm bath before bed could be perfect for you. Often times taking a shower is all we ever do, its quick and easy, but at the end of the day winding down could be your key to a clench-free rest. The warmth from the bath will help to reduce tension all over, including your jaw! Add in the warm washcloth from before and this could become your nightly routine.

General Painkillers

Whether it's ibuprofen or aspirin taking an over-the-counter painkiller can often relax the muscles used to clench as well as reduce the pain after a night of clenching. You could even use a PM painkiller (such as Tylenol PM) to help stop you from clenching while you sleep. While this method can be helpful, try not to rely on the painkillers everyday. These should only be used if the clenching is getting out of control, unbearable or interrupting your everyday life.

Jaw Massage

This technique is done by taking both hands and finding where your jaw hurts the most. Once you've found that rub with a medium amount of pressure in circles for 5 to 10 minutes. This helps the jaw loosen up and increase blood flow so any pain from clenching can be reduced.

Hot Drinks

Some people swear by it to reduce their clenching. Simply put it's amping up the amount of hot teas and coffees that you drink throughout the day to alleviate pain centered in your jaw. I recommend camomile tea which will relax you and your jaw.

The Wine Cork Method

This method works best for me and all you need is a wine cork. All you do is find a wine cork, generally 1 to 1.5 inches in height and prop open your jaw. Place the wine cork in the back of you mouth (if you have a dominate clenching side, on those molars) and hold it there for about 3 to 5 minutes. BE CAREFUL! This could be a choking hazard so DON'T do this laying down, make sure you are upright and aware of where the cork is. If it becomes extremely uncomfortable, remove the cork immediately. I've never experienced any problems with the wine cork method, but being cautious is extremely important.

source: mishew.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-stop-clenching-your-jaw