What are TMJ Disorders?

The TM joints (also known as temporomandibular joints or jaw joints) connect the mandible or lower jaw to the skull. You have 2 TM joints—one on each side of your jaw. These joints are some of the most frequently used joints in the body. Temporomandibular joints open and close the jaw, helping us to chew, bite, talk, swallow and yawn.

TM disorders (also called TMJ, TMD, or TM disorders) are those that involve pain with jaw movement and tenderness or pain around the jaw area (or near the ear). TMJ disorders are a group of complex issues related to the jaw joint. These problems may also be called myofacial pain dysfunction and Costen’s syndrome. Finding the proper diagnosis may take a while because joints and muscles work in conjunction and problems with one or both may result in similar symptoms.

TMJ Symptoms

Common signs and symptoms of TMJ disorders are the following:

• Joint and muscle pain
• Pain or tenderness of your jaw
• Achy feeling in and around your ear (people often mistake TMJ for an earache)
• Tinnitus or ringing of the ear
• Clogged ears
• Trouble chewing or discomfort while chewing
• Aching facial pain
• Swelling of your face and mouth (affected area)
• Joint sounds—a clicking or grating sensation when chewing or opening your mouth
• Jaw locking—difficulty opening or closing your mouth
• Headache and dizziness
• Difficulty swallowing due to muscle spasms
• Uncomfortable bite
• An uneven bite

Normally the pain or ache in your jaw will occur when you try to move it, but you may feel pain even when your jaw is immobile.

TMJ Causes

The following problems can lead to TMJ disorders:

• Trauma or injury to the joint or surrounding area
• Clenching or grinding your teeth (bruxium) due to stress
• Habitual gum chewing or fingernail biting
• Joint diseases—degeneration of the joint, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis

Home Remedies and Tips

Try a soft diet for a while. Stay away from hard foods like bagels, raw vegetables, or candy. Do not chew gum or pens.

Use a cold compress immediately after TMJ pain occurs to relieve the pain. Later on, apply warm compresses to the afflicted area for 20 minutes. Then open and close your jaw from side to side. Try this 5 times a day for 5 minutes each session for about 4 weeks.

Stress reduction—try to reduce any thing that is causing stress in your life. Meditation, exercise and yoga are good ways to help alleviate stress.

Biteplate—you may need a biteplate or splint to wear over your teeth. This will help to align your jaw and reduce the pressure in your joints.

Mouth guard—a custom-made mouth guard for nightwear can help prevent grinding.

Try exercises to stretch your jaw muscles and try to massage the jaw muscles to ease the pain.

Put a cork in it—if you find yourself clenching your teeth during the day, put a cork in between your front teeth to keep your jaws separated.

DO NOT:

• Prop your chin on your hands for a long time, or at all if you can help it.
• Cradle your phone between your shoulder and your chin.
• Do not grind your teeth because this can make your TMJ even worse. See our post on teeth grinding.

–Nolan

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