Temporomandibular joint disorders
Your temporomandibular joint (also referred to as your TMJ) is the joint just in front of each ear, where your jaw bone connects to your skull. Problems with the TMJ and the muscles that control jaw movement are known as temporomandibular disorders or TMJ disorders.
What are the symptoms of TMJ disorders?
Dull, aching pain, which varies in strength from mild to severe, is the most common symptom associated with TMJ disorders. The pain is usually felt in the jaw, but can also be felt in the surrounding areas, including the face, ear, and even the teeth. The pain may also radiate to the neck or shoulders, and is usually made worse by chewing and moving your jaw.
Other signs and symptoms associated with TMJ disorders include:
- difficulty eating (especially chewy or hard foods);
- jaw tenderness;
- jaw clicking, or popping, when you open and close your mouth and chew;
- a grating sensation when chewing;
- an uncomfortable or uneven bite; and
- jaw locking (an inability to open or close the mouth completely).
TMJ disorders can be temporary or chronic (ongoing), but only a small proportion of people develop significant, long-term problems. Women tend to be affected by TMJ disorders more often than men.
What causes this condition?
TMJ disorders are generally caused by a combination of problems with the joint and stress on its surrounding structures. Some of the causes of joint problems include arthritis, injury, and dislocation of the joint, which can be due to an improperly-aligned bite or joint hyper-mobility (looseness of the jaw).
Jaw clenching and teeth grinding (also known as bruxism) can put significant stress on the jaw muscles. People who suffer from chronic stress and anxiety sometimes clench their teeth during the day and grind their teeth while asleep, resulting in muscle pain and tightness as well as damage to the teeth. Poor posture (e.g. holding the head forward while looking at your computer screen) can also strain the muscles of the jaw, face and neck.
How are TMJ disorders diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and examine your jaw and the surrounding muscles. You may also need to see a dentist, so that your teeth and the way you bite can be assessed properly. Sometimes, an X-ray, CT or MRI scan is needed to take a closer look at the area.
Is there anything I can do to treat TMJ pain?
There are many different treatments that can effectively treat the symptoms of TMJ disorders, and depending on the cause of your problem, your doctor or dentist will be able to advise you of the treatments that will be suitable for you.
There are a few simple things you can do, such as avoiding hard and chewy foods and chewing gum, and maintaining good posture. Take particular care with your posture if you spend a lot of time sitting at your desk in front of a computer, and take frequent breaks to relieve stressed muscles.
Making some lifestyle adjustments can also help treat TMJ disorders. Managing stress and anxiety is important if this is causing or contributing to the pain. There are various options that may be used to relieve stress, including yoga, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing. Even regular exercise, such as swimming or walking, can reduce muscular stress and improve TMJ pain.
What other treatments are available?
If you have been grinding your teeth at night, you may need to wear a special mouthguard (also known as a mouth splint or night guard appliance) while you sleep. By helping prevent jaw clenching and teeth grinding, a mouthguard can ease the tension in your jaw muscles. Splints can also be worn during the day to relax your jaw muscles and prevent damage to your teeth from grinding. Day splints are usually only used on a short-term basis.
A physiotherapist may also be able to treat the pain associated with TMJ disorders, using therapies such as:
- massage;
- ultrasound treatment;
- transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), which uses mild electrical currents from electrodes that are taped to the skin to treat pain; and
- electromyographic feedback, which is a treatment used to help you to learn to relax your jaw muscles.
Hot and cold packs, as well as gentle muscle stretching and relaxing exercises, can also be helpful.
Pain relievers, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and muscle relaxants can help relieve the pain in the short term. You may need to see a dentist and have any problems with your bite or teeth corrected. Your dentist may suggest wearing a plastic biteplate or splint to help align your upper and lower jaw bones.
Most people find that their symptoms respond to the simple measures mentioned above. Sometimes, more invasive treatment methods need to be tried in people who have severe or ongoing pain or discomfort. These include corticosteroid injections, which can reduce inflammation in the joint or muscles; and surgery, which is rarely needed but may be used if no other treatments have provided relief.
Last Reviewed: 30 November 2005
Sponsored links
