TMJ or TMD Facts and FAQs
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Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) connects the jawbone to the skull on each side of the jaw. It is just like a sliding hinge. There are two joints on each side of the jaw. The problems of these two joints are together called TMJ disorders or TMD. The person who has this disorder experiences severe pain in the joint and muscles that control the jaw.
TMJ Specialist Hyderabad Answers the Most Frequently Asked Questions
What are the causes of TMJ?
TMJ’s cause is often unknown in many cases. However, experts believe the role of several factors such as a family history, personal history of jaw problems, lifestyle, jaw injury or arthritis.
Some people have a tendency to grind or clench their teeth due to severe jaw pain (bruxism) and develop TMJ. Some people don’t develop TMD though they habitually grind or clench their teeth.
What are the symptoms of TMJ?
The signs and symptoms of TMJ include facial pain; chewing difficulty; pain while chewing; pain in and around the ear; temporomandibular joints pain; tenderness or pain in the jaw; and locking joint; difficulty in opening and closing the mouth.
The unique symptom of this disorder is that you will hear a grating or clicking sound or sensation when you chew or open your mouth.
Can Chewing gum help relieve jaw pain? Chewing gum doesn’t help relieve jaw pain – rather it makes the jaw pain worst.
The reality with jaw joint is that when you try to exert more pressure on the joint it hurts and causes immense pain. Chewing gum or any food item which is hard tense your jaw muscles and the pain augments. If you have a habit of grinding teeth at night, then the risk of pain increases the next morning when you get up from bed. However, after seeing your TMJ Specialist in Hyderabad, you can get a bite blocking device to stop grinding at night.
Can You Ease the symptoms of TMD by yourself?
The pain associated with TMD can be very disturbing as you start experiencing repeated episodes of pain. One way to ease pain and feel better is to just rest your jaw and to ensure that don’t try to overuse it. The other simple measures that you can try include avoiding chewing gums and hard food stuff – instead, using soft foods and food products like curd, yogurt, mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs. To control grinding of teeth and clenching see a dentist and follow the instructions given by him – and if you do not see any relief from pain, then try some over-the-counter pain medicines. Sometimes, even after trying so many different options, you may not feel better as there might be a possibility of TMD from an unknown cause or origin. Therefore, it is always better to approach a specialist to have better evaluation of the condition – especially when the symptoms are not getting better after ensuring all sorts of methods.
Conditions that Mimic TMB
There are several other conditions such as sinusitis, gum infections, common cold, tooth infections, toothaches, osteoarthritis of the jaw bone that have similar symptoms like TMD. In such cases, it is better to approach an ENT specialist (TMJ Specialist Hyderabad) to get evaluated comprehensively for the cause of your jaw pain. An ENT specialist will examine you thoroughly based on your signs and symptoms and also by examining your jaw joints. He or she may ask you to move your jaw to feel tenderness, or pain and to listen the popping or clicking sounds when you close and open your mouth. If they suspect some sort of issue with your jaws, they may recommend X-rays and other imaging tests.
When Should You See a Doctor?
You have now understood that TMD is one of the common reasons for your jaw pain and it could be due to several causes ranging from jaw injury, loosen tooth, arthritis, stress, sinus infections, gum infections, to more serious life-threatening heart attacks as well. Therefore, when you experience severe jaw pain in association with headaches, pain around your ears, clicking sound while opening and closing your mouth, ringing in the ears and dizziness, then immediately seek an appointment with an ENT specialist.
Bottom Line
Many people feel better with home-based self-care measures or with non-surgical approaches. They get relief from pain and discomfort. In a few cases surgery remains only the last resort as conservative treatment approaches fail. In general, surgical interventions seem to benefit many others with TMJ.
