Coping w/Elastics and Rubber Bands

[lajp]

So I got rubber bands/elastics about a week ago. As well as another archwire (so 4 archwires total). My mouth feels a bit heavier and like yeah. The rubber bands aren't like painful but they definitely cause some aches and pressure. How do you all manage that when you go/went through different elastics?

I have like a parallelogram shape in the form of class III elastics. So instead of from one lower hook to one upper hook that is farther behind, the elastic hooks on two on the lower, up to two farther back on the upper arch. It's just this pretty consistent ache and pressure but sometimes it is harder to deal with/manage than other times. What have you found helpful? I've been taking acetaminophen and ibuprofen; I read that ibuprofen can slow down tooth movement though... any thoughts on that?

Thanks!

[CaliCo]

I hadn't heard that but I've been taking a lot of ibuprofen for pain and headaches caused by my tooth movement. I'd like to know if it is possibly inhibiting tooth movement

[Vicki04]

By now I'm sure you've adjusted to the tension and would've found what worked for you during the adjustment period in your elastics. Wish you all the best on the movement

I've gone through two different configurations with elastics so far, the first time to move my lower jaw back - lower canine to my top second molars on both left and right - (the pressure was horrible for a week) and then my second and current round to correct my mid line - bottom right second molar to top right lateral incisor, 2nd right bicuspid to right central incisor and 1st right bicuspid to left central incisor (\\\) - (only hurt for a day or two).
I don't find pain medication helpful in general so I have warm liquids(soup, tea etc) and cool water to ease the ache and when I get home from work I'd try nap off the ache, unfortunately medication didn't help me much so this was how I coped with the pain .

[lajp]

Thanks for the tips on managing the pressure and aches! I try not to take pain meds unless I feel that I really need it. Usually ibuprofen or acetaminophen. So hot/warm and cool/cold things both seem to help? I know with most things we wonder if heat/warm is best or if cool/cold is best.