Joint pain and headaches can be caused by countless things, including diseases such as arthritis, but obviously I can't cover each individual one in a single article. Seeing that I've already written several articles about different types of arthritis, I'll focus on TMJ (The Temporomandibular Joint) disorders instead this time.
As with other similar disorders, TMJ disorders can be difficult to diagnose, and equally as difficult to treat. A patient suffering from one of these disorders often has to undergo several tests, including things like MRI scans and etc.
So, what is the temporomandular joint? The temporomandular joint is a ball and socket type joint situated on either side of your face. They are the joints which connect your upper and lower jaws to each other, and are considered being the most used joints in the human body. Apart from all the regular movement, such as when you open or close your mouth, the joints are also subjected to a great deal of pressure whenever we chew our food.
Supporting these joints are a complex arrangement of muscles, ligaments, and bones, so when something goes wrong with one or both joints, it's quite often accompanied by muscle pain and headaches.
TMJ disorders can, as previously mentioned, be caused by several things. With that having been said, the most common causes are physical trauma, teeth grinding, gum chewing, and of course misaligned teeth.
People with one or more TMJ disorders often feel a clicking sensation when they open their mouth, and particularly when they yawn. They can also have difficulty chewing, or biting down on hard foods. Many sufferers also end up with regular headaches, and approximately 33% of sufferers experience tinnitus, in either one or both ears. Fortunately, surgery is usually only necessary in extreme cases, such as when ligaments need to be tightened.
In the vast majority of cases, patients are advised to rest their jaws as much as possible. This includes eating soft foods as opposed to hard crunchy foods. The next form of treatment a doctor is likely to recommend is heat and ice therapy. Doctors may also recommend that you take anti-inflammatory medication. Of course since I prefer to stick with all-natural remedies whenever possible, I'd most likely opt for a natural anti-inflammatory such as New Zealand green lipped mussel extract.
If teeth grinding is thought to be the cause, a patient might be instructed to use a special type of mouth guard designed specifically to stop one from grinding one's teeth. On the other hand, if misaligned teeth are the root cause, dental work might be necessary.
As mentioned earlier, there are several health problems which can lead to joint pain and headaches, so if this is something you're experiencing, then it is best that you see a doctor so that a proper diagnosis can be made.
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