TMJ Treatment

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Temporomandibular joint disorders can cause a lot of pain and inconvenience. Some of the symptoms associated with TMJ include the following:

- Aching pain surrounding your ear
- Discomfort while chewing
- Headache
- Tenderness or pain of your jaw
- Facial pain
- Locking of the joint that make you difficult to open or close your mouth
- Getting  uncomfortable bite
- Getting uneven bite due to premature contact of one or more teeth
- Clicking sound or grating sensation associated with pain or limitation of movement of your jaw.

If this condition becomes chronic, other health problems such as insomnia, depression, facial disability, and possible infections are likely to occur. About 10 million people are affected by this disorder, 2/3 of the affected population are women of ages 20-40; accounting for almost 80%-90% of the cases receiving TMJ treatments.

There are several factors seen to cause TMD; direct injury is one of the common causes. But others include jaw clenching, overuse of the joints, poor posture, and degenerative diseases such as arthritis and osteoarthritis.  Contrary to popular belief, a bad bite, jaw noises, and orthodontics do not directly cause temporomandibular joint disorders. Since it can be caused by an array of events and factors, TMJ treatment does not only concentrate to managing one. TMJ treatment usually involves a multiple approach that involves the relief of symptoms and the management of the root cause.

Among the causes, hormones, stress and bruxism are seen controversial and are the subjects of many researches. Since almost 80% of the disease affects women, experts look at the aspect of hormones and how they play a role in the disease. Studies have shown that an increase in estrogen also increases the woman’s risk for developing TMD. The condition of repetitively and unconsciously biting at night can also predispose a person to developing TMD. This condition is called bruxism and is said to be the result of stress or inability to cope.

Now that you have a better understanding of this condition, it is up to you to make a decision. If you have the symptoms mentioned above and decide to do nothing, you could be taking a risk.

People suffering from temporomandibularjoint disorder or TMJ generally think that surgery is the only option available for relief from its associated pain. Some think that they have to bear the pain of a sensitive and tender jaw throughout their lives. However, little do they know that there are several alternative TMJ treatment options.

Since the internet is full of tmj information, it is easy to become overwhelmed. The focus of this article is to dispell some of the myths you have been hearing about temporomandibularjoint disorder and tmj treatments.

Myth no.1: It is only people suffering from bruxism or the condition of clenching teeth while sleeping who get affected by TMJ.

Fact: This is not true because it can affect anyone as it has various triggers besides bruxism like orthodontic, genetic, accidental and habitual triggers.

Myth no. 2: Surgery is the only TMJ treatment available.

Fact: Surgery is resorted only in chronic and severe conditions when there is no other alternative available.  There are various other alternative reversible TMJ treatments available like jaw exercises, movement therapy and biofeedback which can be done at home. Jaw exercises help in relaxing the jaw and prevent them from clenching. Moreover, with regular exercise, this TMJ treatment may restore the upper and lower jaw to its normal alignment.

Myth no. 3: You have to adjust to bearing the pain of TMJ.

Fact: This is of course wrong as pain management and relief from pain is an important part of all TMJ treatments at home. In fact, most people experience a complete neutralization of pain with their TMJ treatment before they even recover completely from the disorder.

Myth no. 4: You have to live with tender and sensitive jaws throughout your life, even after using TMJ treatment and recovering from the disorder.

Fact: This is not true as with specific and easy exercises you can do at home, your jaws are soon restored to their previous strength and flexibility. Moreover, these exercises are performed only for a short time after a tmj treatment.

Myth no. 5: There is a reduction in pain with regular use of TMJ treatments of anti-clenching devices and splints.

Fact: This is partially true as it is only 50% of the sufferers who actually experience a reduction of pain and recover from the disorder with minimum effort and with the help of splints or anti-clenching devices. However in some cases, there is a possibility of the pain and suffering getting aggravated because of this TMJ treatment.

This is because people suffering from TMJ have weak joints. So if used too often, these mouth guards or anti-clenching devices can damage the joint and lead to excessive pain. Moreover, mouth guards are not that helpful of a TMJ treatment if used to treat hereditary or trauma related cases of TMJ.

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For many individuals suffering from different forms of joint pains in the head or the upper part of the body, they could be inflicted with TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder). This disorder could cause symptoms like headache, pounding jaws, and neck and shoulder pain. This condition requires immediate attention and medication to prevent it from getting severe.

In addition, this condition could bring a lot of discomforts to individuals because of the pain and soreness. What more if the problem would persist and reoccur? This will certainly affect the lives of every sufferer because they would not be able to do their usual tasks in an easy and convenient manner. Having a headache or toothache or other body pains would just allow you to lie down and rest.

There are various TMJ Treatment options to consider. Some people decide try home TMJ treatments first to see how effective they are. These remedies are natural, plus they are readily available at home, so you do not have to spend a fortune.

There are various home treatments to apply. Here are some Home TMJ treatment options that you can apply to help ease the body joint pains you are experiencing:

• TMJ treatment exercises – These exercises are concentrated in strengthening and toning the muscles in the tongue, jaw, neck, throat and the shoulders because they are usually in pain when TMJ condition occurs. Doing these exercises will help settle muscle tension.

• Splints or anti-clenching devices – At times, doctors would prescribe a splint place, this piece of mouth device is usually fitted over the teeth to decrease the teeth grinding and clinch. This device is quite the same with the mouthpiece guard that are used by athletes.

• Warm compress – Apply warm compress in the affected area just to ease and alleviate the pain. This will also help the blood flow and the muscles to loosen up and reduce the pain. Warm heat is also effective in helping sufferers to relax.

• Relax and be stress free – Another TMJ treatment is to remain calm and relax. This way, you are stress free and able to relax your joint muscles properly. When they are relaxed, you can easily exercise them without having an uncomfortable feeling and pain.

Even when you are at home, you can certainly apply home TMJ treatments that will not cost you a huge amount of money. Of course, these treatments are applicable when the condition is not at its worst.

Now, if the problem is reoccurring even if you already applied various home treatments, it would be best to seek medical help from a physician so that you can have the right TMJ treatment. This condition should never be left untreated because this may lead to a much more serious condition.

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TMJ is the acronym for the disease Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. Temporomandibular joints are the joints that connect the lower jaw to the bones in the sides of the head. These joints help in the smooth movements of the jaw and helps in chewing and talking. A person who suffers from TMJ has pain in the face, jaws, neck, shoulders and ears.

There is difficulty when chewing and opening the mouth. Some may experience painful clicking while opening the mouth. Others may have headaches and dizziness too. The patient may have one or more of the symptoms. These symptoms may be due to many other reasons. So if you have facial or jaw pain, it is better to consult a doctor and check if the pain is the result of TMJ or not.

If you are seeking alternative TMJ treatment options, consider the following:

1. Applying heat pack and ice pack alternately helps in pain relief. Pain may become unbearable if left uncared.

2. Using a mouth guard while sleeping helps in preventing teeth grinding that can be very painful to a person with TMJ.

3. Garlic is an effective pain reliever. Grind garlic into a paste. Dissolve it in water and drink the solution.

4. Avoid foods that need over chewing and sticky foods.

5. Avoid stress. Stress may aggravate the pain. Breathing exercises, meditation and yoga help in relieving stress.

6. Stretching exercises and massages help in pain relief. You can simple massages like massaging with a wet cloth or slowly rubbing in circles over the jaw.

7. Eat healthy food rich in nutrients and vitamins.

8. Acupuncture is another alternative TMJ treatment. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment that treats diseases by inserting thin needles in specific points. Licensed acupuncturists insert needles around ear, jaws, elbows, big toes and knees etc.

9. Find a good Massage Therapist. A massage can help reduce the muscle tension in your jaws.

10. Go to a Chiropractor that specializes in TMJ related issues. Chiropractors are experts in detecting areas of dysfunction. The jaws are pulled back to the right alignment. This TMJ treatment has proved to be effective in certain cases.

11. Biofeedback helps in controlling the muscle tension by keeping the jaw relaxed. The point of relaxation is to reduce pain and eliminate the pain. It may take six weeks or more to complete a biofeedback session.

It is essential to treat this condition in its initial stages. The type of TMJ treatment may vary from one person to another. If you are seeking a natural TMJ treatment, you should definitely consider trying TMJ No More by Sandra Carter.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a medical disorder that causes tenderness and pain in the joint on each side of your head in front of your ears, exactly where your lower jawbone meets your skull. This is important because this particular joint helps you to chew, talk and yawn. The reasons for TMJ disorders are attributed to various factors such as jaw injury, arthritis, muscle fatigue from grinding or clenching of teeth.

Primary signs and symptoms of TMJ disorders include the following:

• Aching pain surrounding your ear
• Discomfort while chewing
• Headache
• Tenderness or pain of your jaw
• Facial pain
• Locking of the joint that make you difficult to open or close your mouth
• Getting  uncomfortable bite
• Getting uneven bite due to premature contact of one or more teeth
• Clicking sound or grating sensation associated with pain or limitation of movement of your jaw.

Possible Causes

The temporomandibular joint consists of a hinge action with sliding motions. The parts of the bones are covered with cartilage and are separated by a small shock-absorbing disk. All these help in interaction of the joint that keeps the movement smooth. In one or more of the following conditions, TMJ disorders occur.

• If disk is eroded or moved out of its proper alignment
• If the joint is damaged by an impact or a blow
• If  cartilage of the joint is damaged by arthritis
• If the  muscles that stabilize the joint get fatigued from overuse due to habitual clenching or grinding of teeth

In many occasions it is difficult to identify the cause.

Risk Factors

Incidence of TMJ disorders is very common among women between the ages of 30 and 50. If there is a birth deformity in the facial bones, that may also affect the way your jaw works. There may be other risk factors causing TMJ disorders such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disorders etc.

TMJ Treatment

It is possible to find relief from pain and discomfort through self-managed care or nonsurgical TMJ treatments. Consider some of the following:

• To minimize the use of jaw muscles: Take foods in small pieces, eat soft foods,  avoid taking chewing gum, avoid chewy or sticky foods, never open your mouth too wide while yawning

• Stretching and massaging: Learn how to do stretching, messaging and doing other exercises to improve your head, neck and shoulder posture from your doctor.

• Heat or cold: Applying warm, moist heat or ice to the affected area helps relax your muscles or alleviate pain.

As stress plays an important role in contributing to TMJ disorders, stress-relieving relaxation techniques such as deep  breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, meditation and yoga may be used as part of a TMJ Treatment.