What is TMJ?
Your temporomandibular joints, TMJ, are the joints and jaw muscles that work to open and close your mouth. These muscles allow you to chew, speak, and swallow. Between this team of muscles and joints are disc which cushion the load when opening and closing the jaw.
TMJ disorder is when a problem occurs within this complex jaw system. It can be very painful and difficult to determine the source.
Typical factors of TMJ disorder include:
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genetics
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arthritis
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dislocation
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injury
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teeth grinding
Usual symptoms of TMJ include pain or tenderness on one or both sides of your jaw, aching pain in and around your ears, and difficulty or pain while chewing. Other common symptoms include locking of the jaw joint or a clicking sound/sensation when you open your mouth or chew.
To ease the pain of TMJ disorder, you can practice relaxation and exercise techniques to strengthen and control jaw muscles, apply heat packs to ease the pain, and use a night guard to decrease clenching and grinding of the teeth while you sleep.
