TMJ Disorder - Little Known Symptoms and Treatments

TMJ Disorder, otherwise known as Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, deals with the joints that connect your jaw to your cranium. This disorder covers several different minor problems, whether it is mere inflammation of the joint or severe problems with jaw placement. This disorder causes a great deal of pain for people while chewing or talking. For some, it is a constant source of pain.

Frequent causes of TMJ are arthritis or trauma to the jaw. If you have been the victim of an event where you received head trauma (like a car accident or a fight), you should immediately visit a doctor or dentist to see if there have been any slight dislocations or problems with this joint.

It can also be the result of losing teeth. Some children may develop this at an early age when they lose their baby teeth. Adults may develop it if teeth are pulled. Your jaw is designed to rest at an angle, leaving just enough room for your upper and lower teeth to touch. If teeth are suddenly missing, there is nothing to support that angle. The jaw may sag and pull at the muscles and joint, inflaming it. This is why you should take good care of your teeth.

You can get this disorder just like you can develop tendonitis or carpel tunnel syndrome. If you repeatedly chew gum or other sticky substances, take bites of food that are too big for your mouth, have nervous ticks or habits that lead you to chew strangely, or constantly move your jaw, then you can wear out this joint. Sometimes it is merely an effect of a degenerative disease. If you have such a disease, ask your doctor or dentist if you are at risk for TMJ.

The problem occurs in a very central part of your body. It is technically a bone and joint issue, but many of your head muscles are affected when your jaw moves. It can also lead to hearing or vision problems, since the head is a tightly wired space with many overlapping and diverse anatomical systems. TMJ could lead you to having to see a neurologist, a dentist, an optometrist, a surgeon, and various other specialists.

Take note of any pain in your head. Even normal headaches could be a sign of a deeper problem. The more specific you can be about your pain, the better the chances of correcting it. Frequent symptoms include a clicking jaw or a jaw that locks up and cannot be opened without some difficulty. It may hurt to chew, especially for harder foods.

Your ears may be very sensitive to this problem and the muscles and tissue around your ears could be sore. This is because of their close proximity to the joint. You may feel a great deal of strain in your neck, like you pulled a muscle.

Treatments include wearing things like a mouth guard, braces or retainers. You may have to attend physical therapy to learn how to move your jaw correctly and stop any bad habits. Surgery is an option for very bad cases, while mild pain killers are enough for some slight cases.